The space between two buildings

What fun to go back to one of my favourite winter sketching spots: Église St. Joachim in Pointe Claire. In this -15C weather, of course I sketched from my car. It’s always a little difficult to balance the mechanics of it all. If I wear my warmest coat, it’s hard to keep the puffy sleeves from grazing the wet palette. And even with heavy boots on, I know I only have a limited time before I start to get too cold. But I guess I was well prepared because I was able to stay long enough to get the sketch done.

I don’t remember how often I’ve painted from this same vantage point but I’m always attracted to the patch of sky between the church and the presbytery. If you were to walk through that bit of snow-covered lawn, you would see a frozen Lac St. Louis just beyond it. The vast open space behind the buildings, as well as the brightness of the snow-covered lake creates a wonderfully lit backdrop for the buildings. Sketched in my Hahnemuhle 100% cotton sketchbook.