The Daniel McAllister

This tugboat is well-known to Old Montreal. Although she doesn't look it, she first began her career as the Helena in 1907 on the Atlantic coast. After a series of face lifts, she became the Daniel McAllister in the 1960s, named after one member from a family of ship owners.

It's interesting the people you meet while sketching. I had a woman come over and want to tell me all about miracles. Her proof? She saw four fish that day. Which, considering the St-Laurence canal, might be a small miracle.

And here is Tommy Kane's version of the tugboat that her sketched a few years back.

Silo n° 5

 

Tommy Kane has done it. So has Shari Blaukopf. Now it was my turn. Silo n° 5 is a fixture in Old Montreal. I see it everyday on my walk to work. Finally, I sat down to sketch it this afternoon.

This grain elevator is now in disrepair. But in time's past, it was considered one of the most technologically advanced elevators of the 20th century. Ships could unload their grain without having to come ashore.

In more recent days past, it did sport some graffiti, but a spray wash has erased that.

Rear viewing

A blustery, rainy weekend put an end to my big plans of intrepid-full-adventure-high-paced* urban sketching this weekend. So I did a little spying on the neighbours from my local back alley.


* Okay, a bit overly optimistic.

skinny dipping

You remember my avocado?

Well, for the past few weeks, the pit has been skinny dipping in water and sun beams. It is ready to shoot out a root any day now. I've never tried to sprout an avocado before.

Here are a few studies. I was inspired from Oona Leganovic's blog, Play in Progress. She does plant studies quite often. And her technique is so lovely. Her blog is worth a visit!

Oratory benedictions

 

When I sketched at the Oratory last september, the scene was quite tranquil. The scent of flowers, bird chirping and church bells every so often.

This Sunday, the mood was a bit different. As I sketched, I listened to an announcer to my right for the benediction of the Mustangs! What you don't see is the parking lot with at least a hundred or two of Mustang owners who had come out for some sun, Mustang-owner bonding and a blessing.

Not quite what I would have expected for a sunny Sunday, but why not.


I will have to come back and try a panorama sketch from one of the many balconies of the oratory. There is also a lovely garden with many statues.

A toast

This month my blog turns 5 years old. Yes, if you check the archives, there are a few posts from 2005 but those were back dated. I joined blogger 5 years ago.

Approximately 500 posts later (a few removed), this blog has come a long way. 

I'd like to thank everyone who has visited and followed and commented. It's really fun to hear from all of you and quite astonishing to know that people completely on the other side of the world have come for a look!

So, a toast to 5 years of drawings and, I hope, many more to come.

Sunday afternoon

My afternoon sketch from Sunday's Urban sketchers meetup. This is looking towards the Atwater farmers' market. Havre aux glaces was very popular on Sunday!

Sunday sketching

 

Yesterday was our April Montreal urban sketchers meetup. This month we met at Marché Atwater and sketched along the Lachine Canal. We were really lucky, the weather was gorgeous! Above was my first sketch of the morning. I felt very rusty, have not done much sketching outdoors this month.

Montreal has basically three seasons: winter, summer and fall. We seem to go from zero degree celsius straight to twenty degrees in an overnight. That's exactly what happened this weekend. And with summer not lasting that long here, everyone was came out to get a bit of the sun.

 

This is my second sketch of the morning. There were tons of people along the bike paths that go along the canal and link with the Atwater Market.

In my opinion, May and June are the best months in Montreal. The temperature is quite warm and not overly humid. Generally not too many days of rain either (contrary to July and August). September would be my third pick.

Dirty fingers

 

Playing in the plants again. This is the base of the stem of my Dracena. I love how the gnarly roots claw into the soil.

Sketch snacking

One of my favourite things to snack on.

Can you guess what I might have done after this?