June 2016 – Painting to see : Peindre pour voir

Musings & Thoughts, Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

:: Mont Calvaire ::

2016-06-282016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

PAYS
J’ai vu le soleil se lever
dans tant et tant de pays
je ne savais plus lequel
était le mien
le jour oscillait
lampe incertaine dans ma nuit
le rif le souk le môle
la vallée millénaire
bergers de l’Atlas
boutre coutre Seychelles
je l’ai vu se coucher
le jour passait comme une flèche
et chaque soir me frappait en plein coeur
comme le dernier
— Gérald Godin, Québec Poet

Mont Calvaire is the highest peak looking northwards from Hudson across the Lake of Two Mountains. Calvaire in French is a Québécois swear word as French Québécois swear words mostly stem from Catholic artefacts and the different synonyms are used regionally. Some synonyms for “calvaire” are calvâsse, calvinsse, calvinouche, calvinus, calvinisse, calverasse.

The lake was named Lac des Médicis in 1612 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain, then renamed Lac des Soissons about 1632. By around 1684 French colonists named it as Lac des Deux Montagnes. The name refers to Calvaire Mountain and Saint-Joseph-du-Lac Hill, the two highest peaks of Mont Oka that face the lake on its northern shore. (Information taken from Wikipedia).

Paper: Fluid 8″x8″
Colours: Sennelier Primary Yellow, New Gambodge, Alizarin Crimson, French Ultramarine
Location: Sandy Beach, Hudson, Québec, Canada

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

Sunday Sketching, Stewart Hall in Pointe-Claire on July 10th

2016-06-272016-07-13by Jane Hannah5 Comments

“Nothing awakens us to the reality of life so much as a true love,”
— Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother.

On Sunday July 10th the Montreal Urban Sketchers have been invited to a Picnic Vernissage Day at Stewart Hall’s Cultural Centre in Pointe-Claire. Stewart Hall is situated in a gorgeous historic mansion and is a unique cultural venue located on the bank of Lake Saint-Louis. Everyone is invited to sketch with us on that day starting at 10:00 am. It is an absolutely stunning spot to sketch, in all seasons! To note that this date replaces the fourth Sunday for the month of July.

• 10:00 am START: on the lawn at the right side of the main entrance.
• 2:00 pm INVITATION: The vernissage of the exhibition Suspended Time – Caroline Cloutier & Joëlle Morosoli will take place on the 3^rd floor, in the Art Gallery. Everybody is invited to go upstairs at 2 p.m.
• 3:00 pm END: we will gather on the patio facing the lake to share our drawings.
• There will be two very impressive performances on the stage that day as well, (at noon and at 3 pm), it could be an interesting thing to draw as well!
• In the event of rain, there is a room on the first floor that has been reserved for us; we will still have a nice view over the lake and everything; (but let’s cross our fingers that it won’t rain!)
• Directions Stewart Hall on Google Maps: LINK

Hope to see you there -)))

____________________

Le dimanche 10 juillet 2016, les Urban Sketchers de Montréal sont invités à participer à un pique-nique Vernissage au Centre culturel Stewart Hall de Pointe-Claire. Stewart Hall est une demeure historique sur un lieu enchanteur situé aux abords du Lac Saint-Louis. Tout le monde est invité à esquisser avec nous ce jour-là à partir de 10h00. Un endroit absolument magnifique pour faire des croquis, en toutes saisons! À noter que cette journée remplace le quatrième dimanche du mois de juillet.

• 10h00 DÉBUT: on se rencontre à droite de l’entrée principale sur le parterre.
• 14h00 INVITATION: Le vernissage de l’exposition Les temps suspendus – Caroline Cloutier and Joëlle Morosoli se tiendra au 3e étage, dans la galerie d’art. Tout le monde est invité.
• 15h00 FIN: nous nous rencontrerons sur le patio face au lac St-Louis pour partager nos croquis/dessins/peintures et voir ce que les autres ont croqué.
• Pendant cette journée il va y avoir deux performances, une à midi et l’autre à 15h00 qui pourraient être fort intéressantes à peindre aussi.
• Dans l’éventualité de pluie, il y a une pièce qui nous a été réservée face au lac au rez-de-chaussée.
• Directions Stewart Hall sur Google Maps: LINK

En espérant vous voir -)

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

Botanical Gardens :: Jardin botanique

2016-06-262016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

Art happens — no hovel is safe from it, no prince can depend on it, the vastest intelligence cannot bring it about.
— (James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 1834–1903)

Today the Urban Sketchers of Montreal were out strong even though the heat moved up to 35C. But as we were in the shade, all was good. My idea this morning when I arrived was to draw/paint the Montreal olympic tower from many different viewpoints.

So my search brought me to the Rose Garden where I sat on a park bench in the comfortable shade to paint this. I started with a value sketch (see below) to figure out where my darks and lights should be. And as you guessed it, once I was finished my quest stopped as I coud not find any other view of the beautiful tower! Geez! And lo and behold, as I had just finished my third and last sketch of the day, view after wonderful view popped up in the skyline as I was walking back to meet the other sketchers. So the moral of the story is, that you never know exactly how your sketching day will go, but take it with a chuckle.

Paper: Travelogue Handbook 8″x8″
Colours: Hansa Medium, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, French Ultramarine & Violet
Fountain Pen: Pilot FlexiGrip EF
Ink: Noodlers’ Lexington Grey
Location: Montreal Botanical Gardens

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings, Urban Sketching

:: C2 Montreal ::

2016-06-112016-07-13by Jane Hannah2 Comments

“What’s the use of falling in love if you both remain inertly as-you-were?”
— Mary McArthy, writer & political activist, 1912–1989

Some USK Montreal sketchers were invited to paint/draw during a full day of C2 Montreal events. C2 means “Commerce & Creativity” and it was just an amazing day! It was joyful, full of artists & company owners from Quebec & many international personas. I was so excited in the morning that for my first sketch, I could not stop shaking… By my second sketch, I had calmed down & I actually drew 7 paintings… which is a feat for me. These paintings are now owned by C2 Montreal & they graciously gave me the rights to self-promote.

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

:: Centennial Park ::

2016-06-072016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

A work of art is above all an adventure of the mind.
— Eugène Ionesco (1909-94), Romanian-French playwright

Went painting today with Linda Drewry & her companions & the danger of rain or thunderstorms did not seem to phase us. We were there, puddling around with our paints, just glad to be painting with others. Very nice.

I, on the other hand, did two paintings before this one… until I was satisfied that I had something that was presentable. In the end, I like it as it is somber looking and reflects well the cloudy day. While I was painting, 22 baby geese headed by parents filed in front of me, one behind the other in army-like fashion and at the end of the line, more parents. What a sight! It was quite sweet.

Paper: Handbook Travelogue 8″ x 8″
Colours: New Gambodge, Burnt Sienna, French Ultramarine & some Sap Green
Fountain Pen: Sailor Desk fountain pen
Ink: De Atrementis Document Ink Black
Location: Centennial Park, Dollard des Ormeaux, Québec

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

:: Rigaud Mountain ::

2016-06-042016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

“Perhaps there is still time to take a stand for the Kingdom of Life; it needs defenders. Perhaps, mighty as its enemies may be, allies will come who are even mightier.”
— Henry Beston

Last night Rigaud residents were invited to join our elected municipal reps to debate on the future of our mountain & of its own environmental sustainability. What a thrill to hear the different perspectives & opinions as well as the definite push towards a small environmental footprint & how we will preserve the mountain for future generations. It made me proud to be a Rigaudine -)

While I was listening to the debates I drew in three of my Rigaud neighbours…

Paper: Moleskine Sketchbook
Pen: Pigma Micron .005
Location: Rigaud, Québec, Canada

Sketches / Drawings / Paintings

:: Value sketches ::

2016-06-022016-07-13by Jane HannahLeave a Comment

“Let’s take our hearts for a walk in the woods and listen to the magic whispers of old trees.”
— Unknown author

Here is the value sketch that I did for yesterday’s painting. This sketch uses the same colour but using different values of that colour, or intensities of that colour. My darkest colour is too dark but still I ended up with four different values representing white, lightest colour or highlight, midtones and dark values (shadows). Value sketches are great for evaluating a composition and seeing if it will work, or not.

There are two added bonuses to these value sketches and it is to get the intensity of the colours just right… and by practicing with only one colour, we get a “feel” for what is right. The other added value is that the eye, hand coordination gets a practice run and gets a feel for the architecture/texture/newness of the place.

Paper: Fluid 100 4″x4″
Colour: Carbazole Violet (PV23RS)
Location: Parc des ancres, Pointe des cascades, Québec, Canada

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