Notre Dame de Bons Secours
Posted: March 5, 2022 Filed under: Uncategorized 46 CommentsI’ve been wanting to draw Montreal’s oldest chapel Notre Dame de Bons Secours in winter, but it’s not located in a place where you can sketch from the car. And these days it’s too cold to paint outside. I tried to sketch it in pencil from a sheltered corner, but even with big gloves on, my hands froze and I gave up. This was done in studio, after my hands thawed out.
I guess what makes it so interesting for me is that it sits at the bottom of a hill, at the end of a narrow cobblestone street, with beautiful historic buildings on either side. And of course, for fans of Leonard Cohen, it has the historical significance of being “our Lady of the Harbour” from the song “Suzanne”. It’s our city’s sailor’s church, and the lady of song fame is on the other side of the building, facing the harbour, of course.
Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook 
The highlights and shadow are just beautiful-I can practically feel the sun shining around the corner!
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Thanks so much Kristin!
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Fun. Thank you. I always thought Suzanne was his lady of the harbor.
Didn’t Montreal name a street for him?
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HI Jeff,
There is no street named after him but we do have a giant mural or two: https://www.mtl.org/en/what-to-do/heritage-and-architecture/leonard-cohen-crescent-street-mural-montreal
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Love the painting and the story with it! Thanks.
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Thank you Susie!
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Wonderful painting. Thank you so much for the explanations regarding Leonard Cogen as well.
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Thanks Bettina!
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Love it! It’s so Montreal. The composition and colors are perfect and the shadows make the rest of the scene sparkle. J’adore l’arbre aussi.
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Merci Jeff. I forgot there was a tree in there, but of course, it was the branches at the top.
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Fabulous. I love the violet shadows.
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Thanks Leslie!
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Lovely job on this!! I hate when there is no way to sketch something without being outside and freezing. Glad you finished it in the studio and don’t have frostbite. Thanks for the story about Leonard Cohen.
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I’m glad I don’t have frostbite too, Joan!
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Beautiful! Loved hearing about the connection between Cohen’s lyrics and the chapel.
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Thanks Jane. Yes, lots of connections here for Leonard Cohen!
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I simply love this posting–both the painting and your description.
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Thanks so much Barbara!
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Beautifully rendered. Your colors so clean and fresh telling of the bitter color of the day. The addition of figures adds so much to the painting! Thanks too for the reference to Leonard Cohen. This is a beautiful work!
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It was a bitter cold day. So glad my discomfort came across in my colours : )
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so beautiful
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Thanks so much Reissa.
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I love the lamps inside this church, don’t you?
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I do too. It’s a gorgeous interior with all those boats.
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This is very beautiful. I love all the colours!
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Thank you!
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This is lovely. it has a quiet feel to it. How I wish I could visit there. But I can do so through your paintings. Also-the limited palette is so effective. Thanks for this one.
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Judy, I’m glad I brought a little bit of Montreal to you.
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Shari – this is BEAUTIFUL – so alive and fresh!
And don’t we all love Leonard Cohen – thanks for the story :).
M xoxo
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Mary, we do all love Leonard Cohen…
Thanks for having a look.
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Beautifully done, loved the history note. jfb
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thanks so much Janice.
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Nice church, not sure if I’ve seen that one, is it in Old Montreal? I really like how the tree in the corner, and buildings add perspective going into the church!! I also like how most of your colours are neutral, lolz, Montreal in winter is a pretty dull neutral place.
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It is in Old Montreal, on St. Paul, a little east of Place Jacques Cartier. I think it’s the nicest church in the city.
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Love this one, Shari. And fun to know the story of the lyrics of Suzanne.
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Thanks Marta!
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Beautifully done and with a great story!
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That church does have a good story. Thanks for reading!
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Love that Church. Enjoy that you’re bringing so much Montreal to me and with such delightful artistry.
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Thank you Janice!
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This is so beautiful. So glad you managed to capture this. It’s 60 out right now and I’m outside facing the sun!
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Enjoy that warmth Donna. It’s still freezing here!!
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Beautiful painting Shari and love the ‘people for scale’. Sadly I’m old enough to have bought ‘Suzanne’ when it first came out … happy memories though.
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Thanks Tony. So I’m curious to know if you still have that album from 1967? Just asking because we still have all of our albums and of course many duplicates too. Did you keep them?
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Beautiful Shari. This is also one of my very favourite spots in all of Canada, for all the reasons you mention and just for its historic beauty, such atmosphere just to be in its presence.
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Such a beautiful painting Shari. I can feel the silent, cold, clean air around the chapel. I just love your stone work, red doors and tire tracks. Huge Leonard Cohen fan I am.
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