Saturday 23 February 2013

The end of the Victory Ship

The Victory ships were built during World War 2 as fast cargo transports, made quickly to replace ships lost to u-boats.  The ship yards in North Vancouver produced 164 of them, a major contribution to Canada's war effort.  This is the last part of the last one, the stern of HMS Flamborough Head.  It was saved as the centre piece of the National Maritime Museum on the waterfront beside Lonsdale Quay.  A propeller from a sister ship was purchased to replace the lost original.  The only problem is that the museum was a co-operative project of the federal, provincial and municipal governments and private developers.  You can imagine how well that went.  In contrast to the effort of thousands of men and women who produced each ship in less than 100 days, this last piece of that history has sat rusting in a weedy vacant lot for years, partly covered by industrial strength Saran wrap like a forgotten left-over, a monument to government inability to get things done.  Even the weeds are failing to thrive.




Monday 18 February 2013

Spring, sort of

I thought spring had arrived when it was sunny for a couple hours on the weekend and the crocuses in the lawn opened.  Today - not so nice.  And the problem with declaring the arrival of spring in mid-February in Vancouver is that you'll be left wondering in mid-July if summer is ever going to arrive.  Still, like the crocuses, you have to make the most of the sunny moments at this time of year.

Thursday 14 February 2013

Sun Peaks

 We had a few days skiing at Sun Peaks, in the BC Interior.  Skiers in motion far exceeded my life drawing skills, even the smallest of kids on the bunniest of bunny slopes.  The architecture was more my speed.  The condominium complexes probably have a monster-house look in summer, but the thick layer of snow makes them fit in in the winter.  The covered bridge is elegant in its own right, and the snow just makes it better.


Saturday 9 February 2013

Fragmented life drawings

 A couple recent "fragmented" life drawings with watercolour, from 30 or 40 minute poses.  Someone at the studio said she liked the idea, because I get three or four tries to get each bit right.  True, and I don't have to worry about proportions.