New woods

On my daily walks through the woods with Alice, I’ve been getting acquainted with different sections of the trails around here, and I’m starting to orient myself despite the lack of trail markers. In the winter, it’s easier because the snow is usually packed down by other dog owners and dogs. There’s a section of the forest that I like very much because the pines are tall and there’s not much undergrowth. It’s like a cathedral. Very dark and dramatic, even on bright days.

I was waiting for a sunny day to get a good photo of that area with some nice shadows, but after a recent snowfall, it was beautiful even on an overcast morning. It’s a monochrome scene, but I tried to vary the greys with the addition of greens and blues and burnt sienna.

Since we are entering the holiday season, I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you. Thank you for reading my newsletter The Wheelbarrow, thank you for taking my classes, both online and in person, and a great big thank you to those who reached out to say hello on my blog or through email. It’s been a busy year, but knowing I’m connected to so many of you, and feeling so often touched by your kindness, has helped me get through these exhausting few months. I wish you all the best for the holiday season and much creativity in 2024! 

Olive

Olive is a little one-year old Boxer. She’s our son’s dog, and she’s here with him for the holidays. This morning she had a long run in the woods with Alice, and they were both taking a nap in the sun when I started drawing them. Of course Olive, being a puppy, changed positions and eventually got up and then sat on my feet as I drew. Alice slept in the same position the whole time. You’re probably wondering if the two dogs get along. Alice tolerates Olive, but she has no patience for Olive’s constant affection and desire to curl up with her. But when they are both tired, I can capture them together in a drawing. This one was done on my iPad in Procreate. I’m sure you’ll see more of Olive during the next few weeks, and hopefully I’ll get a better drawing of her next time.

Alice in the studio

Alice doesn’t have a studio routine yet. In my old office she had her green bed and she was always at my side when I was working. But the new studio doesn’t quite feel familiar yet. The green bed is there but the surroundings are new, the sounds are different, and she’s not quite relaxed enough to have a long nap. Although it seems like she’s sleeping in my drawing, one eye is always on me to see where I will go. Sketched on a sheet of Strathmore Bristol Vellum with an HB pencil.

And if you are interesting in seeing a few pics of my new studio, I’ll be sharing that in the next issue of my (mostly) monthly newsletter “The Wheelbarrow”. If you’re not a subscriber, you can sign up on my website. Just wait for the popup or fill in the form at the bottom of the page.

New town

Now that I live in a new neighbourhood, I need new painting spots. My old ones are a little bit far now, plus it’s fun to discover new places. The town of Hudson seems like it will be the likely replacement for Pointe Claire Village, where I painted urban scenes for over ten years. There are a lot of similarities between the two towns: both are situated on a lake, both have boat clubs and both have lots of little old buildings and back lanes.

I went out to explore this morning, and found a good spot in the parking lot behind Cardinal Microbrewery. There was some interesting light on the jumble of structures out back, and the dumpster was an added bonus. Sketched on a pad of Arches CP paper, from the comfort of my car studio.

Sea treasures

There’s not much joy in moving house. It’s hard both physically and mentally. But one of the unexpected pleasures has been unpacking stuff that I haven’t seen in a long time. Today I found a box of shells and other sea treasures like a starfish and a seahorse. I probably packed these into a bin years ago, and like many other bins, I had no idea what was inside. But that’s the thing about unpacking. You suddenly realize what you have. Of course I could have packed them up again, but instead I set them up on my drawing table to observe their interesting shapes and subtle colours.

And now that almost everything is unpacked and my studio is set up, I hope to be posting more often. Thanks for your patience during this extended break!! It feels good to be back.