:: Ode to my students ::

Good relationships keep us happier and healthier.

Last May I while I was in correcting mode, my mind would wander too often to my next course preparations that I would be engaging in this August. Throughout the summer, even though I was on holidays and had a good deal of great times with family and friends and a bit of travelling and giving & attending watercolour workshops, my mind often wandered to my new courses that I would be preparing… and slowly but surely, I would add a paper to the existing pile of “new” ideas that I had. All through the summer for a few days a week I would add to the pile. And the pile grew, and grew, and grew! So now I have too many new ideas for my new courses and I have to cut back! Can you imagine that? To build and then to simplify. But I guess that I am lucky, as now my students are receiving the best from all of my arcane ideas.

Today was a beautiful Montreal day, with a gentle warm breeze and when I woke up I decided that my students and I would go outside to draw. Off we went, and the students made me walk and walk and walk… and we drew all kinds of trees. Pine trees, spruce trees, chestnuts & hemlocks. For my second group, we walked just a few meters and sat down on huge stones… and again we drew trees. Such a pleasant experience and I think/hope that they did get something out of it.

Paper: Travelogue Sketchbook 5″x8″
Colours: Q. Orange, Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Serpentine Genuine & Alizarin Crimson
Fountain Pen: Platinum Desk
Ink: Noodlers’ Ink Lexington Grey
Location: Cégep John Abbott College, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec, Canada