I definitely felt the energy of Canadian pride this past summer with my art-making!

As you saw in my last post, I started by painting Percé Rock in Quebec and then followed up with two miniatures of some iconic Toronto architecture. These two buildings are beloved by Torontonians, and Canadians in general.

I’ve painted the Gooderham Building (affectionately called the Flat Iron) numerous times, especially from this perspective because the CN Tower manages to sneak into view around the high-rise towers. It’s “quintessentially Toronto” as a visitor to one of my shows commented.

And when Toronto’s City Hall buildings were built in 1965, they were a revelation and also very controversial. Supposedly at the time, you loved them or you hated them. I’ve always thought they looked like a futuristic hug! Along with the Toronto sign and the reflecting pool, it’s now Selfie-Central and much beloved. This was the first time I painted them – using one of the photos from a past art fair in the Nathan Phillips Square. The square is filled with more positive energy than usual during this event, so a perfect subject to paint!

And that energy was contagious again this year as both paintings found a new Toronto home at that same art fair!