Category Archives: Sketches, etc

Quick sketches done mostly on a daily basis of home, cities visited and holidays.

Spring 2020

I enjoyed daily sketching in Mexico this winter and returned without incident and before the serious threat of Covid-19 in Canada. Since then I have found it difficult to sketch or paint in my studio. Quickly, I realized I need to feed my imagination by sketching outside my home studio.  I did sketch daily in Mexico at the market, beaches or the urban area. Here are some of my watercolour on paper.

 

Bicycle Vendor, Enjoying a drink at the beach, Dry dock for boats, watercolour, Puerto Escondido, Mx

 

watercolour sketches Puerto Escondido, Mx

Local church, Fish Market, watercolour, Puerto Escondido, MX

 

Boat for rent, Butcher shop, watercolour, Puerto Escondido, Mx

 

My watercolour sketches, Mx 2020

My gallery wall, watercolour sketches, Puerto Escondido, Mx

Since returning home these are paintings I retouched and changed in small or moderate ways. I tried painting new canvas but nothing was happening so I looked at some painting in my studio and found ways to improve them.

Sunset, oil, 30×30, 2020

 

Spring along the ridge, oil, 36×24, 2020

 

Low Tide, oil, 30×30, 2020

 

Here in Quebec we are slowly returning to some normality with some schools opening later in May and other businesses slowly being introduced gradually It has been a sad time with covid-19 high fatality rate in our senior homes, our health workers and staff endangering themselves to this virus and the restriction for us to stay home.

Life after a Solo exhibition

Thanks to my friends, family and clients who visited my solo exhibition at the Two Barn Owls Gallery, Hudson, Qc. I appreciate their support and continued purchases. It was rewarding to have feedback from visitors at the gallery about my art activities on my website and instagram@lidenis.

Presently, I am continuing to work daily in my studio, follow life drawing sessions and occasionally sketch out doors until the big freeze

Two Barn Owls Gallery, Hudson, Qc 2019

 

Two Barn Owls, Hudson, Qc 2019

 

life drawing

 

Sketch Hudson Village, watercolour&gouache, 2019

Fall 2019

This summer we visited Hunts Point, Nova Scotia. I did some watercolour sketches from our small rented cottage on the harbour. The harbour was quiet with lobster season closed but the scenery of moored boats and mixture of old wooden buildings and new aluminum was picture perfect.

Hunts Point, NS, watercolour on Arches paper

Harbour Buildings, Hunts Point, NS, watercolour on Arches paper

Nearby were restaurants, cafes and general shopping in Liverpool. The Hunts Point Market and Cafe across the street was especially appreciated for coffee and croissants in the morning.

This fall I will have a solo exhibition at Galerie Two Barn Owls, Hudson, Quebec, 420b Main from October 3 until 12th. The gallery is open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 to 5. The vernissage will be Friday October 4 from 4-7, please come and enjoy.

Summer 2019

Until July 30 my oil paintings are on display at the Hudson Community Centre, 394 Main, Hudson, Qc. Usual business hours are followed but please check with office if you want precise hours 450- 458- 6699 or recreation@ville.hudson.qc.ca. The paintings are from 2006 until 2019, most of them have not been outside my studio with a few exceptions. They are all unframed. There are 3 vertical panels of 48 inches by 24.

Mustard Fields,oil, 48×24, 2008

Pond Floral 1, oil, 48×24, 2019

Pond Floral, 2, oil, 48×24, 2019

There are 5 paintings, 30×30.

Shoreline Kamouraska, oil, 30×30, 2011

 

Late Spring Woodland, oil, 30×30, 2019

 

March Madness, oil, 30×30, 2019

 

Winter Woodland, oil, 30×30 2019

 

Pond Reflections, oil, 30×30, 2019

 

View from Ridge Road, oil, 30×30,

More thoughts on Mexico

This time our winter break in Mexico included a trip to Oaxaca for 5 days.

We decided on a 30 minute plane ride instead of the 10 hour bus ride. It was a pleasant trip operated by Aerotućan in a Cessna Grand Caravan with space for 14 passengers. We stayed at the family owned Hotel Casa las Mercedes which is central to the square, museums and restaurants. A half day trip to Monte Albán was a must see on our list – a pre-Columbian archaeological site and UNESCO World Hertiage Site.

There are many museums in this city but my top choice is Museo de las Culturas de Oaxaca. It is adjacent to the Church of Santa Domingo de Guzmán and will take up to a good part of your afternoon as it covers pre hispanic, Spanish Conquistador 1519, and contemporary culture.  The Baroque architecture of the Monastery and Church started in 1575 and took 200 years to complete and is built with cantera a local greenish quarry stone. It is impossible for one to understand how this was accomplished without modern day machinery. On the top floor there are a few panoramic views of the botanical garden; an enjoyable addition as access to the garden is restricted to guided tours and specific hours and days. The library of books and illustrative draws is extensive and if you enjoy history and drawings spend time here. If you decide to visit this attraction it is 1/2 km. north of the central square, Plaza de la Constitutución  on a pedestrian only street. The Plaza is a great place to take a refreshing drink and enjoy the music, venders of goods which can be annoying but a firm “no” works. The steeple of the Cathedral of our Lady of Assumption from the square becomes a landmark for orientation. To note the original towers were destroyed in a earthquake in 1931.

Nearby our hotel is the the Cultural Centre of San Pablo originally constructed in 1529 by the Dominicans to house the convent of Santo Domingo de Soriano. Completely renovated the space includes the cloister, textile museum, outdoor plaza and restaurant. The restaurant can be entered by Independencia Avenue or the interior plaza. The serves and food is of excellent quality and well priced.

 

 

All churches, museums and civil buildings are built from a local green tinged quarry stone “cantera” . The fountain base in the square near our hotel was made up of large cut blocks of cantera which glimmered and changed accordingly to the slant of the sun. Below are a few more watercolour sketches from my stay in Mexico.

 

Catch of the Day, watercolour, 2019

Oaxaca city is in one of the poorest states in Mexico but throughout our stay we felt at at easy and welcome. Thanks for a great visit.