Plein Air 2018

 

 

Year 24.  The Magic is still working, so we still after all these years don’t want to change much. We’ll return to our favourite sites, but this year we have found one new one. Same rules as before: there are none. We want only your camaraderie and your enthusiasm. You are welcome to come to as many or as few as you can.

. Open to all artists. Pass it around. Free. Sites with entrance fees are noted.

. Meets Tuesday at a new site each week, 10AM until the last one goes home.

. Your choice of medium, what you can carry, plus your lunch.

. No rain checks. Unless there is a weather warning to stay home – go for it. A 40%    chance of rain means a 60% chance of sunshine. If not, paint the rain. We’re often lucky.

. No reservations. If you plan on attending, just show up.

 

May 22 – Bois‑de‑Liesse ‑ the historic Pitfield House. It’s still early enough to catch the spring perennials in bloom around the pond.  Or the long sweep of lawn or the interesting houses down the lane. 9432 Gouin West, just west of Autoroute 13. Metered parking.

 

May 29 – Parc des Ancres. A large collection of anchors in a park surrounding the old canal. The waterfall is very popular with the artists. Take the path, not those steep stairs, further to the right of the canal. From the 40 or the 20, take the new 30 to exit 9, follow the signs to Pointe des Cascades. Free parking near the gazebo.

 

June 5 – Centennial Park  in  Dollard  des Ormeaux.  Centennial Lake is quite beautiful. Excellent  views, and the ducks come right up to you. Nice gazebo down the path  From the 40, take Sources blvd north, left on de  Salaberry, right on Lake. 3000 Lake.

June 12 –  Baie D’Urfe Town Hall. There is a beautiful rock garden here, with ponds and water plants.  The Town Hall building itself is charming, and there are usually sailboats moored in the bay.  Highway 20, exit Morgan road to the end.

June 19 – New*  National Field of Honour.  Thanks to Andre Savard for suggesting this lovely site.  A stone archway, and sculpted angels! When painting tombstones, it is a point of discretion not to paint the name clearly. If there are burials scheduled on that day, our group will have to park where they will not interfere with funeral processions. From the 20, take St Charles north, then the first right, then right again to make your down to Belmont, then left along Donegani. 703, avenue Donegani .Pointe-Claire, QC H9R 5G6. There are photos and a map here: champdhonneurnational.ca/chn/home

 

June 26 – Sandy Beach, Hudson. There is an enchanting maze of footbridges and lookout decks over a meandering stream, with a panoramic view of lake of Two Mountains, and sailboats. Beach Road at Stephen Shaar Community Centre (washrooms, parking). The entrance is just past the tracks at the iron gates and the large map. If the parking is full, there’s more at the Jack Layton Park on Halcro road, keep right at the end of Wharf road.

 

July 3 – Greenwood, 254 Main Street, Hudson.  Please confirm with me before going. A beautiful historic home built between 1732-1860. Now a Centre for Living History. Artists love to paint this house with it’s beautiful gardens. Rte 40, direction Ottawa, exit 26, right on Bellevue, left on Main. Entrance fee $5. or annual memberships.

 

July 10 -Maison Valois on Valois Bay. 331 rue St Charles, Vaudreuil Dorion. A small park with great views, especially from the island, across the small bridge, where most of us meet. A wide open stretch of lake of Two Mountains with the bridge in the distance, plus sailing boats and kayaks, terraced lawns and interesting houses.

July 17 – Park René-Levesque, Lachine. The Lachine Canal foot and bike path leads to the shores of Lac Saint-Louis, and winds through a lengthy peninsula, with pretty trails, between the trees and along the shorelines, and 22 monumental sculptures, a crowded marina and distant churches steeples. Follow blvd. St Joseph until it crosses the canal, turn right at St Patrick onto Chemin du Canal and go to the end. Metered parking.

July 24 – Ste Anne de Bellevue Canal National Historic Site.  There is so much to paint:

the boats, the locks, the bridges, the roof lines of the clustered shops and restaurants and tourists on the promenade. A good viewpoint is at the park itself, across the locks. Or the small park near Christie street.  Highway 20, exit Ste Anne de Bellevue.

 

July 31 –Pointe du Moulin. Ile Perrot. There is still so much to paint here.  On highway 20 to Ile Perrot turn on Don Quichotte right through to the very end. The mill is difficult to paint – it has become a challenge that draws artists back every year. Free on Tuesdays.

 

August 7 – Coteau-du-lac National Historic Site. One of our first favourite places. Rolling hills overlooking rapids, ship skeletons and fishing holes, with a blockhaus, a terrace overlooking the falls. On a hot day, it’s nice and cool down by the river. 20 West Exit 17, south to the end, turn right on Chemin du fleuve, to 308 on the left. $3.90 ($3.40 seniors)

 

August 14 – The Lachine rapids, in Lasalle.  The best view of the churning rapids, in a well-groomed park with small bridges through bird sanctuaries and gnarled trees, against the backdrop of the city. Take the river road. It becomes Lasalle blvd, and just east of  Bishop Power is the parking lot, between 5th and 6th ave.

 

August 21 – Ile des Moulins Park  in Terrebonne. A picturesque island setting with a cluster of old stone buildings. Stroll by the river for the rapids, or the historic lane now the hub of gourmet restaurants. Autoroute 25 north, exit 22 E to rte 344, chemin St Louis. Well sign posted. Note: rte 440 in Laval merges with highway 25.

 

August 28 –Paint and Picnic at Cap St Jacques. 20099 Gouin West, drive all the way to the last parking lot, by the Ecological Farm and the Maison Brunet. Bring your own lunch and/or “pot luck” if you’d like. The ruling is “alcohol permitted as part of a picnic with meals”. Bring a “Show and Tell” of your favourite plein air work (which doesn’t have to be this year’s and might not be a great painting but have a great story to it.).

 

Can’t wait ! Linda Drewry, email ldrewry@aol.com

Our Facebook site: facebook.com/groups/246453935829650/?ref=bookmarks

 

 

Plein Air 2017

If any of you are  around the Montreal area this summer, you are welcome to join us:

Year 23.  The Magic is still working, so we still after all these years don’t want to change much. We’ll return to our favourite sites. Same rules as before: there are none. We want only your camaraderie and your enthusiasm. You are welcome to come to as many or as few as you can.

. Open to all artists. Pass it around. Free. Sites with entrance fees are noted.

. Meets Tuesday at a new site each week, 10AM until the last one goes home.

. Your choice of medium, what you can carry, plus your lunch.

. No rain checks. Unless there is a weather warning to stay home – go for it. A 40%    chance of rain means a 60% chance of sunshine. If not, paint the rain. We’re often very lucky.

. No reservations. If you plan on attending, just show up.

 

May 23 – Bois‑de‑Liesse ‑ the historic Pitfield House. It’s still early enough to catch the spring perennials in bloom around the pond.  Or the long sweep of lawn or the interesting houses down the lane. 9432 Gouin West, just west of Autoroute 13. Metered parking.

 

May 30 – Parc des Ancres. A large collection of large anchors in a park surrounding the old canal, the Soulanges bike path. The waterfall is very popular with the artists. Take the path, not those steep stairs, further to the right of the canal. From the 40 or the 20, take the new 30 to exit 9, follow the signs to Pointe des Cascades. At the flashing yellow, keep right onto rue de l’Aqueduc. Free parking near the gazebo.

 

June 6 – Centennial Park  in  Dollard  des Ormeaux.  Centennial Lake is quite beautiful. Excellent  views, and the ducks come right up to you. Nice gazebo down the path  From the 40, take Sources blvd north, left on de  Salaberry, right on Lake. 3000 Lake.

June 13 –  Baie D’Urfe Town Hall. There is a beautiful rock garden here, with ponds and water plants.  The Town Hall building itself is charming, and there are usually sailboats moored in the bay.  Highway 20, exit Morgan road to the end.

June 20 – Parc-nature de l’Ile-de-la-Visitation. 2425 Gouin.  Historical houses in the Old Ahuntsic area. My favourite spot is the mill ruins behind the Maison de Meunier *, or the gazebo built over the water. An outdoor café, if opened.  Past Papineau to Gouin [one-way] follow the signs to De Lille. *Best street side parking here.

 

June 27 – Sandy Beach, Hudson. There is an enchanting maze of footbridges and lookout decks over a meandering stream, with a panoramic view of lake of Two Mountains, and sailboats. Beach Road at Stephen Shaar Community Centre (washrooms, parking). The entrance is just past the tracks at the iron gates and the large map. If the parking is full, there’s more at the Jack Layton Park on Halcro road, keep right at the end of Wharf road.

 

July 4 – Greenwood, 254 Main Street, Hudson. A beautiful historic home built between 1732-1860. Now a Centre for Living History. Artists love to paint this house with it’s beautiful gardens. Rte 40, direction Ottawa, exit 26, right on Bellevue, left on Main. Entrance fee $5. or annual memberships. www.greenwood-centre-hudson.org

 

July 11 -Maison Valois on Valois Bay. 331 rue St Charles, Vaudreuil Dorion. A small park with great views, especially from the island, across the small bridge, where most of us meet. A wide open stretch of lake of Two Mountains with the bridge in the distance, even a view of the  church spire, plus sailing boats and kayaks, terraced lawns and interesting houses, and water lilies in season.

 

July 18 – Park René-Levesque, Lachine. The Lachine Canal foot and bike path leads to the shores of Lac Saint-Louis, and winds through a lengthy peninsula, with pretty trails, between the trees and along the shorelines, and 22 monumental sculptures, a crowded marina and distant churches steeples. Follow blvd. St Joseph until it crosses the canal, turn right at St Patrick onto Chemin du Canal and go to the end. Metered parking.

 

July 25 – Ste Anne de Bellevue Canal National Historic Site.  There is so much to paint: the boats, the locks, the bridges, the roof lines of the clustered shops and restaurants and tourists on the promenade. A good viewpoint is at the park itself, across the locks. Or the small park near Christie street.  Highway 20, exit Ste Anne de Bellevue.

 

August 1 –Pointe du Moulin. Ile Perrot. There is still so much to paint here.  On highway 20 to Ile Perrot turn on Don Quichotte right through to the very end. The mill is difficult to paint – it has become a challenge that draws artists back every year. Free on Tuesdays.

 

August 8 – Coteau-du-lac National Historic Site. One of our first favourite places. Rolling hills overlooking rapids, ship skeletons and fishing holes, with a blockhaus, a terrace overlooking the falls. On a hot day, it’s nice and cool down by the river. 20 West Exit 17, south to the end, turn right on Chemin du fleuve, to 308 on the left. Free this year.

 

August 15 – The Lachine rapids, in Lasalle.  The best view of the churning rapids, in a well-groomed park with small bridges through bird sanctuaries and gnarled trees, against the backdrop of the city. Take the river road. It becomes Lasalle blvd, and just east of  Bishop Power is the parking lot, between 5th and 6th ave.

 

August 22 – Ile des Moulins Park  in Terrebonne. A picturesque island setting with a cluster of old stone buildings. Stroll by the river for the rapids, or the historic lane now the hub of gourmet restaurants. Autoroute 25 north, exit 22 E to rte 344, chemin St Louis. Well sign posted. Note: rte 440 in Laval merges with highway 25.

 

August 29 –Paint and Picnic at Cap St Jacques. 20099 Gouin West, drive all the way to the last parking lot, by the Ecological Farm and the Maison Brunet. Bring your own lunch and/or “pot luck” if you’d like. The ruling is “alcohol permitted as part of a picnic with meals”. Bring a “Show and Tell” of your favourite plein air work (which doesn’t have to be this year’s and might not be a great painting but have a great story to it.).

 

Can’t wait ! Linda Drewry, email ldrewry@aol.com

Facebook: Plein Air Club 23. https://www.facebook.com/groups/246453935829650/

 

 

 

 

Cascades

Great Shari! Today, at Plein Air. A beautiful day. I painted an ornamental arch built over the bridge, will post soon as I get my scanner going again.

Shari Blaukopf's Sketchbook

There’s a group of plein air painters that meets every Tuesday in the summer at different scenic spots around Montreal. They’ve been doing this for over 20 years and I hope to join them as often as I can this summer. Today’s meeting spot was Parc des Ancres at Pointe des Cascades in Vaudreuil— literally a park filled with over 100 old anchors and maritime artifacts from the abandoned Soulanges Canal. I was in the mood to paint water so I found a good viewing spot and tackled the derelict lock and the water seeping through it. I don’t think I’ve ever painted falling water so this was lots of fun. These outings are open to all so if you are interested in dates and locations send me an email and I’ll send you the list. Painted on a quarter sheet of Arches paper.

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Plein Air 2015

If any of you are in the Montreal area this summer, join us!

Plein Air 2015

Year 21. The Magic is still working, so we still after all these years don’t want to change much. We’ll return to many of our favourite sites. Same rules as before: there are none. We want only your camaraderie and your enthusiasm. You are welcome to come to as many or as few as you can.

. Open to all artists. Pass it around to your friends. Free. Sites with entrance fees are noted.

. Meets Tuesday at a new site, 10AM until the last one goes home.

. Your choice of medium, what you can carry, plus your lunch.

. No rain checks. Unless there is a weather warning to stay home – go for it. A 40% chance of rain means a 60% chance of sunshine. If not, paint the rain. We’re often very lucky.

. No reservations. If you plan on attending, just show up.

May 19 – Bois‑de‑Liesse ‑ the historic Pitfield House. It’s still early enough to catch the spring perennials in bloom around the pond. Or the long sweep of lawn or the interesting houses down the lane. 9432 Gouin West, just west of Autoroute 13. Metered parking.

May 26 – Parc des Ancres. A large collection of large anchors in a park surrounding the old canal, the Soulanges bike path, and a waterfall. A side trip is worth exploring for a photo op at the Theatre des Cascades, an old village setting. From the 40 or the 20, take the new 30 to exit 9, follow the signs to Pointe des Cascades. At the flashing yellow, keep right onto rue de l’Aqueduc. Free parking near the gazebo.

June 2 – Cap St Jacques, 21115 Gouin. Not the farm, the beach through the western entrance. The Chateau Goyer is very paintable, along with a few rustic houses and the beach itself. I thought it best to go just before school’s out, less crowded and no extra fees beyond parking. The canteen won’t be open yet, so bring lunch.

June 9 – Baie D’Urfe Town Hall. There is a beautiful rock garden here, with ponds and water plants. The Town Hall building itself is charming, and from here you could walk over to the park on the bay to view either the boats or Fritz’ Farm. Highway 20, exit Morgan road to the end.

June 16 – Parc-nature de l’Ile-de-la-Visitation. 2425 Gouin. Historical houses in the Old Ahuntsic area. My favourite spot is the mill ruins behind the Maison de Meunier * where some of us have lunch at the (very crowded) outdoor cafe. Past Papineau to Gouin [one-way] follow the signs to De Lille. *Best street side parking here.

June 23 – Sandy Beach, Hudson. There is an enchanting maze of footbridges and lookout decks over a meandering stream, with a panoramic view of lake of Two Mountains, and sailboats. Beach Road at Stephen Shaar Community Centre (washrooms, parking). The entrance is just past the tracks at the iron gates and the large map. If the parking is full, there’s more at the Jack Layton Park on Halcro road, keep right at the end of Wharf road.

June 30 – Maison Valois on Valois Bay. 331 rue St Charles, Vaudreuil Dorion. A small park with great views, especially from the smaller island (cross the small bridge). A wide open stretch of lake of Two Mountains with the bridge in the distance, even a view of the church spire, plus sailing boats and kayaks, terraced lawns and interesting houses, and water lilies in season.

July 7 – Greenwood, 254 Main Street, Hudson. A beautiful historic home built between 1732-1860. Now a Centre for Living History. Their famous phlox should be in bloom this week. Rte 40, direction Ottawa, exit 26, right on Bellevue, left on Main. Entrance fee $5. or annual memberships. http://www.greenwood-centre-hudson.org

July 14 – Centre de la Nature Laval. 901 ave.du Parc. There’s a colorful mini-town at the Village des Arts but my favourite is still the rock gardens, the swan and geese in the pond, the gazebos and paths up by Parking Lot #4. rte 440 to 125 south. http://centredelanature.laval.ca/

July 21 – Coteau-du-lac National Historic Site. One of our first favourite places. Rolling hills overlooking rapids, ship skeletons and fishing holes, with a neighbouring millhouse, a terrace overlooking the falls. A famous hotdog stand Le Caveau on the corner.20 West Exit 17, south to the end, turn right on Chemin du fleuve, to 308A on the left. $3.40

July 28 – Ste Anne de Bellevue Canal National Historic Site. There is so much to paint: the boats, the locks, the bridges, the roof lines of the clustered shops and restaurants and tourists on the promenade. A good viewpoint is at the park itself, across the locks. Or the small park near Christie street. Highway 20, exit Ste Anne de Bellevue.

August 4 –Pointe du Moulin. Ile Perrot. There is still so much to paint here. On highway 20 to Ile Perrot turn on Don Quichotte right through to the very end. The mill is difficult to paint – it has become a challenge that draws artists back every year. Free on Tuesdays.

August 11 – The Lachine rapids, in Lasalle. The best view of the churning rapids, in a well-groomed park with small bridges through bird sanctuaries and gnarled trees, against the backdrop of the city. Take the river road. It becomes Lasalle blvd, and just east of Bishop Power is the parking lot, between 5th and 6th ave.

August 18 – Ile des Moulins Park in Terrebonne. A picturesque island setting with a cluster of old stone buildings. Stroll by the river for the rapids, or the historic lane now the hub of gourmet restaurants. Autoroute 25 north, exit 22 E to rte 344, chemin St Louis. Well sign posted. Note: rte 440 in Laval merges with highway 25.

August 25 –Paint and Picnic at Cap St Jacques. 20099 Gouin West, drive all the way to the last parking lot, by the Ecological Farm and the Maison Brunet. Bring your own lunch and/or “pot luck” if you’d like. The ruling is “alcohol permitted as part of a picnic with meals”. Bring a “Show and Tell” of your favourite plein air work (which doesn’t have to be this year’s and might not be a great painting but have a great story to it.).

Pathwords: Snow in April

I was definitely overcome by cabin fever and I can feel it in the atmosphere in this one. Snow in April, how unfair. The good news though is that I spent many hours clearing out old paper stock and found these fragments of tissue paper with a series of cats looking very bored. At least I have company.

Pathwords : Tenalach

Tenalach (Irish): “The relationship one has with the land, air, and water. A deep connection that allows one to literally hear the Earth sing.” I’ve recently adopted this word, and bring it to mind when I go for walks in the woods or down by the beach. And now I can hear the Earth sing!

I’ve often wondered what my life would have been like if I had been brought up owning this word in my everyday language. I would have been a lot more mindful of how the earth connects with us as we pass by her.

The next book

 

Is that a working title? Or maybe I should call it that, even after it’s finished when I’ll be working on another next book? Interesting.  I haven’t finished Pathwords yet by a long shot. My books often take more than a year to finish. But this one came about by accident, while absentmindedly putzing around in the studio. It’s not only the wrong size but it’s the wrong format. What was I thinking? Well, I guess I wasn’t thinking at all.

Pathwords – DEPAYSEMENT

 

Though  I could use the word “homesick”, dépaysement has a richer meaning. In French, it is technically used for “out of one’s country”.  But in an emotional context, it goes deeper.  In fact, sometimes it’s good news. It’s that feeling of being far away from home, butterflies in the tummy, too strange. Sometimes when I travel I get a sick feeling, wishing I was back home in my cozy little house again. Yet sometimes, I’ve been very far from home and felt perfectly at home. Castles in the south of France – yes, I’m sure I’ve been here in a past life. My first time in New York City  I knew my way around. Sometimes the very strangeness of a place thrills me. Yet sometimes, strangeness throws me into a feeling of despair, as if bits of myself have faded away, and I can’t breathe, can’t ground.

I like that there is a word for this, at least in another language. It means I’m not crazy, that this is a shared human experience.

Pathwords: Bon Courage

As a bilingual Anglophone in Quebec, there are words I use in either language that just don’t translate in the same spirit or intention. It isn’t unusual, therefore, for us to drop a French word or term in the middle of an English conversation, knowing the other person will catch the meaning immediately. “Bon Courage” is one of those words. I’ll use it when wishing good for someone going through an ordeal – an exam, a move, a confrontation, a medical procedure, even a bereavement. It’s more than luck, since it isn’t luck that will get you through the ordeal but your own inner reserves of courage, heart, stamina, and the work you have put into it. And when it is said to me, I go off feeling encouraged , knowing I have friends at my back, sending me good vibes.

Pathwords

 

 

Wordless Wednesday. Sometimes the words are silent.