Author Archives: Linda Denis

This summer in Québec the weather is balmy and usually 30 degrees. No excuse not to get out and sketch. One of my favourite spots is the Sanctuaire in Rigaud, free but accepts donations. Shady, peaceful and usually quiet except for a yell from youngsters finding Pokémon on their screen. It is a place of meditation. Quiet is the command here but miracles do happen and need to be celebrated.

Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes, Qc

Another cool spot, Parc Valois, 331 Avenue St. Charles,Vaudreuil-Dorion on the water has free parking and entrance.

Parc Valois, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Qc

Worth a visit, Parc Historique, Pointe-du-Moulin, Notre-Dame-de-I’Île-Perrot, free on Monday and Tuesday.

Le Moulin, Notre-Dame-de-I’île-Perrot

As always, the flowers from the garden await brush, pigment and water.

Summer Bouquet

Les Jardins Quarter-Vents , Malbaie, Qc, Quincyhammond.com

This past month we obtained tickets to view the Jardins de Quarter-Vents  in MalBaie, Qc. For this season 2016 all dates are full but for 2017 start to look in November at Centre Écologigue de Port du Salmon .The guides are well informed volunteers; it takes 2 and 1/2 hours; most tours are in the French language. It is a visual feast of colour, texture, architecture and designed to please the eye. No time was allowed to sketch here but I did these later in the day at St. Joseph de Rive and Les Éboulements.

Early Morning, St Joseph de Rive, Qc

Church Parking Lot, Les Éboulements, Qc

Under a full moon, 21 hours after leaving Québec City the Draken Harald Hårfagre arrived in Montréal, June 19th, 2016. Last evening the 20th of June was the start of summer solstice – hot, cloudy, windy with lightning and thunder. Unable to see the full moon here we must wait for the next summer solstice when they join together June 21, 2062. Fitting, this rare phenomena happens when this viking ship is in our city.

Yesterday, I arrived at Quay Jacques- Cartier at le Vieux-Port de Montréal to see this magnificent vessel. Unbelievable, a crew of 28 crossed the Atlantic Ocean in this slender wooden craft 34 metres by 7 metres!

I took my Venezia Sketchbook, Arches paper and my paint box with a few brushes. Here are some of my sketches. The hot record breaking weather and high winds presented their challenges but insignificant in comparison to the elements facing this ship and crew.

Vikings used Ravens to sight land. If land was sighted by these birds it was nearby. They are non migrational so return to ship quickly if no land in sight.

Viking boat in Vieux Montreal, 2016

Cleaning the deck, Montréal,

Dockside, Brockville, Ontario

The world’s biggest Viking ship, Draken Harald Fairhair. (Jan Kaare Ness / NTB Scanpix / AFP)

The Draken Harald Hårfagre has left Newfoundland and is sailing up the St. Lawerence. We can follow it thanks to a tracker installed on the ship ( have a look here ) and via Facebook. The ship will arrive June 15 in Quebec City as posted by the Captain on Facebook. Opportunities to see this beautiful ship are coming our way as it heads towards Montréal.

My hope is to see and sketch the ship. For now,  here are some of my sketches from the past two weeks.

watercolour, Derelict Lock, Soulanges Canal, Pointe Cascades, QC, 2016

watercolour, Pointe Claire Yacht Club, Qc, 2016

watercolour, Pointe Claire Yacht Club, QC, 2016

watercolour, Centennial Park, Dollard des Ormeaux, Qc, 2016

Some of us are following the Viking ship on You tube, Draken Harald Hårfagre as it sails across the Atlantic to North America this spring. First stop on Canadian soil is June 1, St Anthony, Newfoundland, then to Quebec City for June 15th, onto Toronto for July 1-3. My wish is to be able to see and sketch this masterpiece. There should be opportunities along the St. Lawrence River as she heads for Toronto.

Now the weather is warm here in Eastern Quebec, there are opportunity to paint outdoors with other artists. The Urban Sketchers of Montréal meet the fourth Sunday of each month. Artist friend Jane Hannah is one of the founding members and always mention the up coming  render-vous on her blog. This past Sunday we met at the Smith House on Mont Royal. Here is my sketch of the house in watercolour.

Smith House, Mont Royal, Montréal,

Another great source of Montréal outdoor painting spot is a weekly list by Linda Drewry.  Click on her name and I have posted her agenda. On tuesday May 24, about 15 artists met at the parc-nature du Bois-de -Liesse, Pierrefonds. Linda Drewry was there waiting to welcome us at the Historical Pitfield Home. I decided to sketch the pond at the back of the property. Here is my watercolour.

Pond on the grounds of Historical Pitfield House, early spring 2016