Yellow Garage

I've been noticing this little garage all winter walking by, but only stopped yesterday to finally sketch it.  As usual, this is also about the big maple tree in the rear yard.

There is still some snow lingering in the shadowy north sides of the houses.  Some people have not been willing to wait and have been shovelling it out just to get it gone.

Waiting for Spring

It's interesting how many basketball nets live between the houses, all waiting for spring.  You don't think of Ottawa as a basketball town  but it was actually invented not far form here in Almonte, Ontario.  Unsurprisingly however, that took place in a indoor gym.

When sketched this a nearly a month ago, I was thinking the snow would not last much longer and that I would soon, not just be drawing, but be painting on site.  No such luck, so I'm returning to some older drawings and painting inside.

3rd Ave. at Bank St.

So, I'm back at it now that the temperatures are a little cooler and invigorating.  This is the backside of some commercial buildings along  Bank Street in the Glebe.  The walls have been strapped with pipes and wires and contain air conditioner units, vents phone boxes and electrical stacks.  Despite it all it has a sort of urban charm and sitting out on the apartment balconies would offer green views up the middle of the residential block.

Tree House

This tree house is behind a home in the up and coming Hintonburg neighbourhood here in Ottawa.  It sits up in a maple tree and must be fairly well hidden and a green retreat in summer when the trees are in leaf.

Unused Garage

Unused may not be the right term here, as you can still get to the door of this garage, you just can't get a car inside.  The tree is a Manitoba Maple which was apparently trimmed at some point, but the remaining trunk angles off in front of the garage door and over the neighbouring property.

The garage itself is also unusual. I'm guessing it was a multiple bay garage which was truncated at some point.  Before or after the tree started growing, who knows.

2nd Ave. E of Bank

Behind many of the buildings with shared driveways in the Glebe, there are open parking courts with informal configurations and often large trees.  Despite their utilitarian purpose they can be very charming places.

Another Glebe Laneway

Another glimpse into a Glebe rear yard.  The building on the other side of the block has faded blue clapboard and open windows, hinting at some sort of enclosed balconies.

It was too cold for drawing today (-8 C) and my hand sorta seized up, but the forecast is for grey and wet weather this weekend and I had an urge to draw anyway.

Obsessive maybe, but harmless.

Tree Through the Roof

The interior of the Glebe neighbourhood blocks harbour some great trees.  Some were planted intentionally, others by squirrels and still more 'volunteered'.  I imagine this ash tree behind a row house on 2nd Avenue established itself when there was a simple, open stoop and step to the kitchen door.  Porches with roofs were added subsequently, but fortunately some tree loving carpenter, used the good judgement to preserve the tree, by letting it poke through both the porch and shed roof.  Those are the kind of quirky surprises you discover between the streets.

Glebe Avenue

Over the past few weeks I have been poking my nose down driveways looking at the rear yards and interior of some of the blocks in my neighbourhood.  We have a dusting of snow on the ground now, but it was warm enough to do a few quick sketches.  I added some paint in the warmth of our kitchen afterwards, referencing a photo on my cellphone.

Minus 1 C is just on the edge of barehanded comfort, but the other obstacle is that watercolour doesn't dry very quickly.  Sort of the opposite of painting in the hot sun.
Hope I don't get kicked out of Urbansketchers for breach of Manifesto!