5"X7" Acrylic on board

I rarely use acrylics and when I do it is usually on paper, for ATCs. This time I thought I would just do the underpainting in acrylics and finish in oils but I liked the way it was going so stuck with them.

The mountain can be seen from almost everywhere in Montreal because the city surrounds it. It isn't really a mountain of course, only 233 m (764 ft) above sea level and part of the Monteregian hills

5.5"X7" Pen & wash on paper

The fire escapes and balconies of Montreal play a large part in defining her character. This one, drawn from the inside looking out, leads down to an alley (allée, rouelle?) behind avenue du Parc.

5.5"X3.5" Watercolour on paper

I have always enjoyed painting the backs of houses. I did this one from a balcony, early in the morning while the light was still interesting. Unlike my other two Montreal allées (should it be ruelle? Maybe, but I am sort of committed to allée now) , this one was actually painted en plein air, using my little moleskine watercolour sketchbook.

7"X5" Oil on board

The Mile End district of Montreal is home to at least 7000 Hasidim. According to some accounts it is the third largest Hasidic population outside of Isreal (after New York & London). They are very private people and I wondered if this might be rather intrusive, except that neither the people nor the exact location are identifiable.

I am always fascinated by costumes and these gentlemen wear theirs with a great deal of style. The heavy wool overcoats they wear whenever they go out onto the street, even in temperatures in the 30C range (86F), must alone be a test of their faith.

I believe that the tarpaulin in the background may be a part of a sukkah, although I am woefully ignorant about Orthodox Jewish customs and may have got it all wrong.

I didn't do as much sketching while I was away as I perhaps should have, but I took lots of photographs. The allées of Montreal are among her defining characteristics, and combined with the graffiti I thought that this made a good picture.

7″X9″ Oil on board

This lovely home is the place we often stay in Montreal. As we didn’t go this year I used a picture from last Christmas. The house is about 160 years old and classic Quebec style.