Category Archives: Sketches, etc

Our usual Tuesday sketching group met, July 21 at Coteau-du-Lac at the Canadian Historic Park. The sky is loaded with dark rain clouds ready to unload upon us. We decide to stay and paint under the big tent near the parking lot. Out of an open space I see workmen inspecting the underside of the bridge. I try to sketch quickly the scene. Soon the rain and thunder begins and the work crew head to safety. The skies clear and we find many subjects to paint.

Old Mill, Coteau du Lac, Qc, watercolour

Blockhouse, Coteau du Lac, Qc, watercolour

On July 28, the Tuesday group met at another Canadian Historical site, Saint Anne de Bellevue Canal. Lots of choice to paint here but we decide on the left bank. The weather is sunny and 34 degrees celsius.

Locks, St. Anne de Bellevue, Qc, watercolour

Canal, St. Anne de Bellevue, Qc, watercolour

Bicycle and Pedestrian walkway, St. Anne de Bellevue, Qc, watercolour

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Linda Denis, Three Fisherman, Coteau Landing, watercolour, 2015

I continue to sketch at the Soulanges Canal. Early morning and late afternoon the

one of four on lawn of St. Clet Church, Qc

fisherman take up their favourite spots.They tend to be still for several minutes, making them ideal models. The next best models are the four stone angels on the front lawn of the Catholic Church at the junction of Cité des Jeunes and the #201 highway.

Linda Denis, Abandoned Light House, Pointe des Cascades, watercolour, 2015

Yesterday at Pointe des Cascades, a few daring souls where jumping off the locks into the pool of water below. I looked only after I heard the big splash.

Linda Denis, West Point, watercolour, 2015

Earlier in the week I sketched the west point of the canal looking towards the great expansion of sky in the far distance. I was thinking about Jeff and I know he made the journey. It was a sad day Tuesday; we said our final goodbyes. His religion was to live and die without regrets.

The Soulanges Canal (1891-1958) bypassed the rapids of Cascade, Rocher Tendu, les Cédres and les Coteaux which made it a major shipping lane between Upper and Lower Canada. In 1958 the St. Lawrence Seaway opened and the canal closed. Many locals want to rehabilitate the canal to be used as a throughway for pleasure crafts. For now, the bicycle path  following the canal is very popular and many use the water to fish and others to dive for relics underwater at Point des Cascade.

Linda Denis, South side of Electric Power House, watercolour, 2015

The red brick electric power house designed by Alfred Arthur Cox (1800-1950) often called “le petit pouvoir” was built between 1899-1900 to supply the locks and lights on a 24 hour basis. No longer in use, it is located about midway on the canal and can be seen from highway 338 on the north side or the south side from chemin du Fleuve. To see it close up, the bicycle path is the best choice.

Linda Denis, North side of Soulanges Canal Electric Station, watercolour, 2015

Linda Denis, Derelict Canal, watercolour, 2015

Linda Denis, Water Passage alongside Locks, watercolour, 2015

Linda Denis, Lock at Pointe des Cascade, watercolour, 2015

Every spring for more than twenty years Linda Drewry sends out a list of tuesday plein air painting locations. This week, May 26, we met at the small Quebec Village of Pointe des Cascade in the Parc des Ancres (over 100 anchors). Here is the starting point of the abandoned Soulange Canal built in 1899 and closed in 1958 stretching westerly 14 miles to Coteaux Landing. Now the waterway is closed to watercrafts with all locks in various stages of disrepair and decay.

Canals St Lawrence River, map by drawn by A.U. Almon, 1909

A watercolour sketch, completed later in the week at the westerly entrance to the Soulange Canal.

Linda Denis, Lock Coteau Landing, watercolour, 2015

A few weeks have past since the cold sunny days of the spring paint out at Les Éboulements. Since this outing I have thought often about the artistic works of Marc-Aurèle Fortin (1888-1970). My first encounter with his works was a painting of sail boats painted on a card board poster which I thought of as good way to use up readily available material. I progressed quickly to looking at his other works; oil, watercolour, engraving and his innovative use of artist’s tools. Fortin painted the Charlevoix region landscape with bold exaggerated strokes showing the beauty of trees, mountains and skies. It is well worth a visit to look at his works.

Allison Robichaud sends me three paintings from the recent outing. Always true to his style he finds the spirit of Charlevoix.

Allison Robichaud, Back country of Charlevoix, oil, 2015

Allison Robichaud, Along the River, oil, 2015

Allison Robichaud, Freighter, oil, 2015

Another watercolour sketch painted from the steep hill into Saint-Irénée, Qc

Linda Denis, Top Tier, watercolour, 2015