Charlevoix, 2018

For those of you who follow my blog you will know I enjoy plein air painting especially in Charlevoix . This year we were the lucky ones for weather- not spring nor winter somewhere in the middle- cold north wind, occasionally sunny spots and always star filled skies at night.

We stayed at the Auberge Cap aux Corbeaux, just 5 minutes east of Baie-St-Paul. It is small and intimate with a panoramic view from Ile-aux-Coudres to the Massif ski hill. Here, breakfast is included and this is the time we talk about where and what is the best scenery to paint or sketch. Here are some of my favourite spots from previous years completed in oil and watercolour.

This year the village of Les Eboulements, St. Joseph -de- LaRive, Baie St.Paul were my subject matter is, close to coffee at the gas station, lunch at nearby restaurants and no worry about dubious roads.

Manse, Les Eboulements, watercolour,2018

Dry dock, Tugboat listing, watercolour, St.Joseph-de-LaRive, 2018

St.Joseph-de-LaRive, watercolour & gouache, 2018

View from the Pharmacy, watercolour, Les Eboulements, 2018

What artist was I looking at before my sketching in Charlevoix?  British impressionist Peter Brown (1967-), known as “Pete the Street” since he paints constantly outdoors. I loved his quote about why we sketch and thought it so appropriate I decided to reproduce it here.

“Exhibitions of your own work are all about showing off. You try and present the best of what you can do. You present a series of finished paintings or drawings editing any that do not work or are not up to scratch. Sketchbooks however are the opposite. They are for anything and everything – ideas, sketches, aides memoirs, diary notes and even shopping lists.”

Another year of spring painting in Charlevoix is over but already thinking of 2019.