First Snowfall 2015

I’ve sketched this scene many times before in different seasons but this is my first in winter. We had our first (very late) snowfall a couple of days ago and chaos on the roads and a shut down of the trains kept me at home. I started the sketch at 2pm, filled in the colours at the time the sun started to set around 4pm. 

By the time I finished, it was too dark to take a photo so I took it the next morning. 

Pen and ink, watercolour, #HandbookJournal (watercolour) 5.25”x8.25”

Dog Portraits

For something different and because I like dogs, I attended several dog sketching/painting sessions at the McMullen Gallery, U of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton. The gallery’s weekly Drop In Studio (for patients, staff and visitors) got a bit of a boost with actual dog models, all therapy dogs in the hospital. The media were at this session last week. 

Here are my sketches of Gurdy the oh so cuddly Bulldog.

The artist leading the sessions is Father Douglas who is the present exhibiting artist with his show - "Songs of the Soul" featuring surreal portraits of dogs inspired by William Blake’s Songs of Innocence and Experience. (Runs Oct 24 - Dec 6, 2015). 

Pen and ink on watercolour paper.
For more on the McMullen Gallery.
#McmullenGallery

Pedways

I seem to do a lot of waiting at Southgate Station and indirectly this means a lot of sketching too. This is the overhead covered pedway across the southbound lanes of 111St. Very welcomed when the temperature is minus 30C.

Election Day Canada 2015

19th October 2015 was election day in Canada…and what an election! The longest federal election campaign in Canadian history (78 days) and an unexpected landslide victory for the Liberals led by Justin Trudeau. 

The winner was announced 10 minutes after the polls closed at 7.30pm in my province of 
Alberta. This means that late voters in the province of British Columbia which is an hour behind Alberta knew the result before they even caste their vote!

I love sketching people on the train and on 19th October was able to add a sketch of a person reading the Metro (a freebie paper) with the headline “Get Out and X”. A little memento of a big day in Canadian history. 

Pitt pens in Global Handbook Journal (5.5"x5.5"). 

Fall Colours

We’ve had particularly impressive golden colours on the deciduous trees this year. A storm 3 nights after I did this sketch stripped most of the trees. I guess I've left it too late to sketch more of the Fall colours.

While I was pacing around on the street deciding on the best vantage point to sketch from, a man stopped to ask if I was lost. He seemed nonplussed when I explained what I was doing.

This was the first time trying out my Handbook Journal (watercolour). Thumbs up for the paper – it takes pen and ink nicely and no buckling. Minimal see-through, I'll be able to use both sides. The whole journal feels light and a good size to hold when standing to sketch.

Pen and ink, watercolour, #HandbookJournal (watercolour) 5.25"x8.25".

Edmonton Mid Autumn Festival

Despite having lived in Edmonton, Canada for 12 years, I don't think I really understood the size of the Chinese community in the city until I attended the Chinese Mid Autumn Festival celebrations recently. It was extremely well attended, support coming mainly from the Chinese community itself. 

The 2014 census of the metropolitan area of Edmonton estimated a population of 1.3 million driven partly by international migration. I’ve not been able to ascertain the number of Chinese living in the city but the vibrancy of this annual festival (only in its second year) sure indicates that it is a healthy number. 

The Mid Autumn Festival celebrations in Churchill Square provided 9 hours of non-stop entertainment culminating in a lion dance parade and the launch of hundreds of Wishing Boats in the pool in front of City Hall. 

My spouse and I lasted 5 hours, ample time for a few sketches. 

Here’s some of the performances we watched. 

My favourites were an orchestra of Chinese classical instruments and a 1930’s Shanghai-style song and dance routine by a group of mature (but very slim) ladies in beautiful long cheongsams. Unfortunately I was so busy watching these that I didn't sketch them.

Here's the main sketch in progress.

The interesting grey building in the background is the Art Gallery of Alberta.

The cone shaped building in the photo above is City Hall.

Pen and ink, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn, Alpha Journal 8.5x5.5"

#EdmontonMidAutumnFestival

Sketching at the Alberta Legislature Building

The Alberta Legislature Building was completed in 1913. It stands on a site which was once a location for Fort Edmonton, a fur trading post. How romantic when you think about the history of this site!

This was the venue for the September sketchcrawl of Urban Sketchers Edmonton. Our small group of intrepid sketchers were windblown and frozen by the end (13 degrees C not counting windchill) but were lucky to get a couple of sunny hours in. This sadly could be the last outdoor sketch meet for the year.

Copic multiliner, Pentel Brush Pen, watercolour,  on Strathmore 400 series Watercolour Journal 7.75”x9.75”.

For more on The Alberta Legislature.