Heading into Autumn

September 13, 2024 by John Hofman 2 Comments

The weather is changing, kids are returning to school and their parents are going back to work. The tourists that used to be mostly families are replaced with retirees. The days are getting notably shorter so that the time sitting at the waterfront after supper becomes limited and colder.

Yesterday afternoon, I made a sketch in Maffeo-sutton, possibly for the last time this year because the rain season started right on schedule, that is, today we have a choice of staying indoors or getting wet.

The colours of the leaves were not quite orange or even yellow, but I could not resist to compliment the blue of the canvas roof. Here, pen and ink was used for the drawing on 9″ x 12″ watercolour paper and completed with watercolour.

With the drop in temperature and the strong wind, I stayed more between buildings in the city to make sketches.

This is a view from Dallas square. A forest of signage and light-posts to direct the traffic, in an attempt by the City and insurance companies to mitigate the tendency of drivers to hit each other. Pen an ink with markers in an 8″ x 11″ sketchbook.

From a very small park at the intersection of Wallace and Bastion streets one can look across Terminal Avenue, which was originally a ravine that would flood at high tide, and see the courthouse and some apartment buildings on top. Also, looking down you see the rooftops of the shops and a gas station along Cliff street. Pen and ink with markers in a larger sketchbook of 8″ x 10″ size, a product from Heinz Jordan & Co.

The other day I stopped at Macdonald’s for a coffee and a muffin. This time there was a seat available on a bar stool at the window overlooking a parking lot and shops of the Terminal mall. Coloured markers where used in a small 5″ x 8″ sketchbook, also from the same paper company.

Another mall, located within 5 minutes walking distance from our apartment has no benches or designated seating area on the premises, except for the coffee shop and the restaurant, of course.

However I sat down on an elevated concrete pier that supports the large signage panel at the entrance, which I never took notice of in all the years we lived here. It also provided shade and a view of the parking area with the Casino and a new Hotel in the background.

This is a sketch in a small sketchbook, not very suitable for watercolour, but sometimes one has to make due regardless. I was not seated as comfortable as at Macdonald’s, so that my line-work is somewhat wobbly and not vertically aligned; comes with the territory I guess.

Last Monday morning I was sitting on the outdoor patio at Serious Coffee along Commercial street to draw this picture of a used record store across the street, called “Fascinating rhythm”. One detail was done carelessly, or messed up, requiring a review as shown in the inset on the same page on a larger scale; next time better.

However, the story of the day was that of a federal political nature. The coffee shop is part of the convention centre, and all of a sudden there appeared several uniformed policemen and plaincloth agents, with bullit proof vests clearly visible as their jackets were puffed up. They walked right by me and went inside with an employee of the conference centre. When they came out again I overheard one of the agents asking the employee how to get on to the roof.

Then it dawned on me that Treadeau, the Canadian Prime Minister was in Nanaimo with many members of the liberal government in tow; they were meeting at the conference centre for a few days. Later on I actually saw the man himself walking by, surrounded by several people, presumably security personnel and other politicians.