Hollyburn Lodge

Hollyburn Lodge was already an abandoned mill building in the early 1920's, when it was rediscovered by a group of snow-seekers from Vancouver.  They set it up as a ski lodge in the Hollyburn Ridge area, but soon discovered that the ridge can be below the snowline in some winters.  Undeterred, in 1926 they simply moved the whole building up the hill into the (usually) better snow at what is now the Cypress cross-country ski area.  It was meant as a temporary lodge, until something better could be built.  Eighty-nine year later, it's still there.  The roof is bent from years of deep snow, and the floor has significant topography.  It's so sloped in some places that dancers on the weekly music nights often end up piled into the downhill corner, from where it is a substantial hike back up to the tables.

However, this is the last year for the old lodge.  It is finally about to realize its "temporary" status, with plans to take the old building down and replace it this summer.  I understand the replacement is going to be as similar to the old one as possible, even to the point of replicating the eclectic mixture of windows.  I wonder if they will be able to copy the terrain of the floor?  Maybe not right away, but we'll give it another 90 years and see what it's like then...

Unfortunately, this winter there has been almost no snow at the ski lodge, and it's bare ground all around right now.   But I was able to engage my personal snow-making machine and cover all that brown grass with a nice layer of snow for this farewell picture of the old lodge.

Happy St. Patrick's

With my Irish ancestry, I was able to cook a traditional full-course Irish meal for dinner: baked potatoes and Guinness.  And then our very generous neighbour came over with chana bharta, which is less traditionally Irish.

Spring flowers

Vancouver being a bit different from other parts of Canada, our spring flowers precede our April showers.  And our April showers come in early March.  But the cherry, plum and crabapple blossoms are always welcome, whenever they appear.  This year I also noticed the flowers on the Japanese larch trees, like miniature tropical bromeliads.  And skunk cabbages, done in acrylic to bring out their glow against the dark mud.

 

North Vancouver City library and the yellow peril

Public buildings convey messages about the identity and aspirations of the people.  To me, the loud message from the new North Vancouver City Library is "We are too timid to spend public money courageously!"  Or, more simply, "We are boring!"  The most charitable message I could find after drawing the building for an hour today was "The normal rules of two-point perspective apply here!"  It was telling that on a beautiful spring afternoon, a few people scurried by, one stopped to tie his shoe, and no one spent any time in the barren concrete plaza.

And speaking of allergens, the forsythia is out in force, at least one bush in every yard, including our own.  It is Public Enemy Number One for my over-achieving immune system.  But it is amazing how concentrating on something to draw it makes you come to appreci...ACHOO!  ACHOO!

Bloedel conservatory

The Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park is a great place to go on a cold, rainy winter's day.  But since we don't have those in Vancouver any more, it was also a good place to go on a warm spring day.  I resolved the conflict between drawing the tropical flora inside and the subtropical flora outside by drawing twice as fast as normal and doing both.  And fit in a bonus flower drawing as well.

Another trip to you-know-where

I seem to go to Edmonton a lot.  Fortunately, little drawing opportunities abound.  Here are five fairly haphazard examples from the last trip.

First, quick portraits on the seabus and sky-train to the airport.  My portrait drawing may not be getting any better, but I am learning to find people who don't move much, or get off at the next stop.  I think all three of these gentlemen may be secret agents.

Then a panorama at the airport.  I actually did the right half on a previous trip, but then I noticed that this trip's view aligned right beside the old one, so a bit of (inexpert) Photoshopping gave me a panorama.  My flight always seems to leave from the same gate, so I think I have a project for the next 10 or so trips.  (And, of course, it is always blue-sky sunny in Vancouver...)

I try to draw surreptitiously when I'm at a restaurant by myself - it passes the time three times faster than pretending to look at important things on my smart-phone.  But I was caught this time, by a lady who graciously continued to pose until her group was leaving, when she demanded to see my drawing. She continued to be gracious, despite the not entirely flattering portrait.

Many of the buildings at the University of Alberta are connected by walkways and tunnels, which are fun to explore (and practical on cold days).  You find esoteric things of interest along the way, like this dissected plane engine on an overpass through an engineering building.

And finally, a view from the hotel window, reminding this Vancouverite that it is winter in parts of Canada.

Busy places

A couple drawings in the last few weeks from busy places.  "Busy" not just in the sense of lots of people, but also busy for drawing - lots of little things, tables, shelves, bottles, doors, walls, signs, lights, pipes, wires, and, yes, people.  I like doing detailed drawings of busy places when I feel I have time, but I'd also like to figure out how to capture all that busyness quickly, for my more time-pressed moments (or just so that I can captured more of the amazing busyness of the world!).  Someone told me once that the secret to drawing hair is just to draw it.  I'm sure the same wisdom applies to drawing busy scenes quickly.  The only problem is that I'm not quite sure what they meant...