Painting East 2019

Join Beverley and the Artmobile as they head east toward Newfoundland !

Raine sends me off with a gift of time - one month to drive, paint, and experience ! June 12, 2019

Morning Reflection

Quick little study done to celebrate my first morning out on the road. June 13.19

Church at Beloeil

After early morning traffic getting byMontreal, I pulled off the road toward a little mountain to find a spot to cook breakfast. June 14.19

This painting shows the marks of being created en plein air ! Gusts of wind blew grass and insects onto the canvas. I had green paint over my jacket and later in the van, the wet oil was marked up when my exercise ball chair rolled over top of it. June 15.19

Campground on the confluence of the Nashwaak River and the St. John River, 30 kilometres west of Fredericton, New Brunswick, June 16, 19

When I finished painting View for Two, a pair of silver haired gents in a golf cart cruised over the field to see what I had been up to. One looked thoughtfully at the work, smiled and said, “You know, if you would have walked a few more steps, over that knoll, you could have painted all the pretty farms across the river!” Marysville, New Brunswick, June 16, 19

View for Two, near Marysville, New Brunswick, watercolour on paper

Farms Across the Nashwaak River, New Brunswick Watercolour on paper, June 16.19

CAPE BRETON ISLAND, NOVA SCOTIA

New territory for me, kindly people, wooded rolling lands and ocean shores. Excited to be here, I drove literally to the end of the road at Petit-de-Grat, on Isle Madame. I was told I’d find good food at The Island Nest, nearby in Arichat. Lunch of Haddock, mash potatoes and coleslaw was so good, and the sun so warm on the deck overlooking the ocean, that I stayed to enjoy the view and paint, then had the same meal for dinner. Thursday nights it’s an open mic and always full the owner/cook/server told me.

Church on a Hill, Arichat, Cape Breton Island, NS, watercolour on paper

Flowers & Ropes, Watercolour on Paper, Arichat, Cape Breton Island, NS

At Battery Provincial Park, St Peters, a 25 minute drive away - View from my campsite:

Lighthouse, St. Peter’s, Cape Breton Island, NS, watercolour on paper

NORTH SYDNEY, CAPE BRETON ISLAND, NS.

The Ferries to Newfoundland leave from here, but rain and high winds were forecasted for the weekend. Staying put here became comfortable when I found a room at Dove House

Fishing Boats in the Harbour, North Sydney, 6 x 9 inches, Watercolour on paper

La Bloc, Cap Rouge, Cape Breton Island, 9 x 12 inches, Watercolour on Paper

Lark Harbour, NL, 6 x 9 inches, Watercolour on Paper Canadian Coast Guard Boat on the right

Meet your friendly Canadian Coastguard, Lark Harbour: Perry Pierce, Jody Barnes and Ivan Lyth, about to board the red boat in the painting above, and head out on the water for their day of work.

Blow Me Down Beach, 6 x 9 inches, Watercolour on Paper

Corner Brook Morning, NL, 6 x 9 inches, Watercolour on Paper

Newfoundland’s National Park

Celebrating Early

Have a wonderful day on the 1st if you give any thought at all to being Canadian.

There is a lot of bush and trees along the way to where I am sitting as I write. In fact, I walked around Berry Hill Pond in the evening yesterday, and the bush is so thick here it rivals any jungle. The evergreen tree stalks are inches apart, and in-between those bushes and ferns fill in. It’s wild and no moose could even get through. I imagine it might be northern rain forest given the mountains on this east coast side. What a huge land we have. I know people in the world have been envious of Americans, but I truly love being Canadian. ‘True north wild and free’.

Viewing the Falls on the fresh water fiord in Gros Morne National Park, NL

Church Ladies’ home cooked Lobster Supper at Cow Head, NL

Chinkok Tan’s demo painting in Renews, Newfoundland.

I was getting set up to paint when I met a group of East Coast Trail hikers who invited me along to finish their day’s hike with them. They were on their way to see Newfoundland Ponies.

Liz Chafe and her Newfoundland Ponies.

Iceberg in the Moonlight, Renews, NL. 6 x 9 inches, Watercolour

The Iceberg was far from the shore where I sat and painted at a picnic table by the roadside. A friendly man, who I came to know as John Chidley, came out from the gift shop he owned across the road and offered to take me out in his boat to get a better view

Iceberg Off The Prow, Renews, NL, Watercolour on Paper, 13 x 19 inches

The boat was up and down 3 to 5 feet as I painted from the seat of John Chidley’s water craft.

Iceberg, Renews Harbour, NL