Stormy sky over factory

As the ominous looking clouds were rolling in from the north west, I was trying to calculate how much time there was before the rain started. Luckily it worked out and the first drops came down as I approached the condo on the way back. This was the last one of the trip, its a rather dramatic view of the big concrete factory as seen from the rear view. I painted the frontal view of the factory way back in May of 2020 in the throws of the pandemic. In the background, at the top, you see one of the many overpasses connecting to the Turcot exchange, which is a complex spaghetti bowl of highways. To paint this scene I established an outline with brush and blackish paint (dilute PBk6), then filled in the colours and values. The building was a baby blue, or more accurately, a pale cyan that I made with PB15, PG7, some 'grit' and water. The grit I am referring to is the grayish or brownish paint that accumulates on the palette after making a bunch of paintings. The impressionists called it 'cutting' the paint, which meant they were reducing the chroma. Nobody did it better than Monet who was the master of the pastel tones. Actually, this painting has the appearance of a group of seven painting, just set in industrial ville st Pierre!

Stormy sky over factory, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, September 2024 (No. 4038)

Butterfly, stone leg on a windy day

Looking across to Lachine from the narrow sculpture park I saw a lone butterfly, likely a Monarch flitting by. It was the first one I had seen all summer. After painting the sky and water and letting it dry a bit, which happened fast in the sun and strong wind, I painted in the orange butterfly from memory. The composition draws your eye from left to right giving the flying insect a sense of movement. 

Butterfly on a windy day, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, September  2024 (No. 4012)

Less affected by the wind was this giant stone leg, which is one of many that were placed along the first part of the park, facing south. I've rode past these monoliths a hundred times and never wanted to paint them, its the kind of thing you may as well take a picture of and many people do. So its a bit touristy but I knew the weather was going to sour and had to get the paintings in while I could. If you are wondering how it is held up, there is a steel wire cage in the shape of a leg holding the whole thing together which I omitted from the painting. I also edited out the tall trees and the walking path so as to fit it all on the small paper.

Stone leg near river, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, September 2024 (No. 4011b)

 

The wind was severe here, it was all I could do to stand up and not loose my bike and painting gear. My painting kit on the back of the bike is wind-proof, and I bring elastics to secure the paper to the cardboard support, however, you really have to squeeze things to keep them in place. The river changes colour from turquoise to blue to a caramel or red ochre hue near the shore. 

The mixes I usually use are turquoise PG7 + PB15 or PB60, blue PB60 + touch of red ochre PR101 for neutral blue, and PB15 + touch of PR122 for brighter blue. The caramels are combinations of yellow ochre (PY43), red ochre, perylene red (PR179) and orange (PO62 or PO73). Textures are created with the side drag of a semi moist brush.

Wind blast on river, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, September 2024 (No. 4013a)

Train bridge with boat and geese

At some time in history this bridge probably rotated to allow tall ships to pass, but now it is permanently fixed across the Lachine canal, it connect to the Mercier car and train bridges that go over the st Lawrence river to the south (left in the painting). As I painted an inflatable boat went by, and there was a gaggle of geese in the middle of the pillars. Its always a joy to paint this bridge, it has a dark neutral blue covered in shades of iron oxide rust. The giant 'fly' on the furthest pillar is actually a motorcycle that was reconstructed to look like a bug with wings by some intrepid artist.

Train bridge with boat and geese, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, September 2024 (No. 3997a)

 

In Ranger park, Lasalle, I found a winding path down to a small rocky beach with a view of the Mercier bridge. It splits into three branches for trains and cars on the far side of the river. The wind was so strong it was blowing my bike and palette around something fierce. My new boonie hat has a good chin strap which kept the hat in place despite the powerful wind gusts. Some dark looking clouds were rolling in and the forecast called for severe thunderstorms in the late afternoon.

Windy shore with Mercier Bridge, watercolour 8 x 10" cold press, September  2024 (No. 3907b)

Lock on Lachine canal rainy day

I almost made it home, but the rain came back full force along the Lachine Canal. I stopped at the lock, where there was a convenient metal gazebo-like structure that offered some good protection. The scene was rather simple to paint, about 10 well chosen diagonal brushstrokes, then dark detailing over top when dry. The greenish colour in the water is the umber paint (Br7) which is a tea with milk colour, and dark blue (PB60). As it dries, you add little hatch marks, the early ones blur, and the latter ones are sharp as the under-painting dries.

Lock with reflections, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4010)

Many of the old factories like this one were converted into condos, they even installed a forest on top. In the foreground you can see the lock, and between the two structures is part of the canal bike path. Eventually the rain died down and I managed to make it home with some pretty soggy paintings in the pack. Luckily my gear held up and everything underneath was dry!

Converted condos near lock, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4011a)

Foggy buildings with train bridge

Thick fog descended on Montreal, enveloping the highest skyscrapers in shrouds of mist. Seeking shelter under a highway off ramp, I made this painting of the iron train bridge and spectacular background scene using watercolours. When the painting was finished, it had a moist and glassy sheen to it, and the colours really popped. Carefully stowing it in the bike pack so as to avoid smudging, I geared up and got on to the next location.

Foggy buildings with train bridge, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4009b)

Pigeons under train bridge

Getting as far as Guy street I turned south, rode past Little Burgundy, and stopped under the train bridge and Boulevard Ville Marie highway interchange. Actually I was standing under one of the off ramps, since under the bridge it was chock full of pigeon excrement and feathers. One hopeful bird flapped down from under the train bridge where they roost, and looked expectantly at me for some handouts. Up in the rafters there were dozens or maybe hundreds of them roosting. You can see some apparition-like pigeons up in the iron work. This is one of those painting that I will remember for sure, standing there in relative dryness, with rain all around under a noisy bridge painting pigeons.

Pigeons under train bridge, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4008a)

Looking to the left revealed this bizarre scene, there was a down ramp curving underneath an up ramp, and some kind of off ramp above my head. A concrete wall and sturdy fence (which I omitted) made sure it was safe to be here, I was standing right next to the sidewalk actually. It did smell of urine here, though hopefully not from me. We just watched a program about architecture and they showed a decadent art studio with high ceilings, fancy paintings on the wall, and hundreds of paint brushes neatly arranged. And I said to Cilei, today I painted pigeons and cars under a urine-smelling train bridge, that was my studio. 

On off up down ramps, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4009a)

Some soggy paintings in Montreal

There was definitively no way to go paint watercolours in Montreal today with constant rain and thundershowers. Or was there? After investing in rain boots, rain pants and a rain jacket, I tested the theory by bike. At Park Girouard, also known as park NDG or Vimy park, they had a 4 x 4 meter awning set up with nothing under it, so I could set up my bike there and make a few paintings. This one shows the baseball diamond next to the central brick structure, with plenty of rain coming down. Throughout the day I tried to keep warmth in the colours to avoid things seeming too dreary.

Baseball diamond rainy day, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4006a)

 

Looking down towards Sherbrooke there was a lot of slick brickwork on the ground, grass and trees. I left the central area white to provide a bit of visual contrast, and to break up the continuous greenish grey. It was really coming down hard, so I waited for the rain to abate before moving on.

Tree in park Girouard, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4007b)

 

It didn't take long before the deluge returned, and I had to find shelter again to make more paintings. This time I stood under the structure at Westmount park looking out at the pond. A fence with vines was in the foreground. The pond has an odd raised area, like a water-bridge you can see in the foreground behind the fence. It was awfully difficult to paint, I was cramped up into a little corner where there was rain protection.

Westmount park pond with fence, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4007a)

Waiting out the thunderstorm I made one more from the nook, this time looking out to the left, where you can see the weird water bridge/platform. The added bonus today was a complete lack of people, normally on a nice Saturday this location would be a zoo.

Water bridge in pond, watercolour 5 x 7" cold press, August 2024 (No. 4006b)