Don't Crack These Eggs!

"Art is Everywhere and every where is art."

Brandon Boyd

    So true... art is everywhere, manmade or natural; we can all enjoy this visual treat. Below are some of the art that we have had the pleasure to see since moving to Quebec. Again, art, beautiful art, is all in the eye of the beholder.

    During the summer of 2021 at the Promenades Mall in Gatineau, the Eggspressionist Art display was shown throughout the mall. It is a tribute to the egg, an ancient symbol of spring and renewal where artists are invited to highlight the poetry of this unique shape. Eggspressionist art is the continuation of a tradition which has crossed the ages and cultures to capture this form as an urban expression. Below are several examples of the eggs on display.

Even though this display was in the Mall during the

 summer, eggs symbolize birth and renewal such as spring.

A very simple design

    Walls of buildings are used as canvases for many types of art. Public spaces hold many art installations. Below are some examples of art in Quebec and near Ottawa, Ontario. We also visited the National Art Gallery in Ottawa but that is for another post.

A mural made of plastic waste in Gatineau. Very clever!

Across the street you can see more murals.

More bees

Art near a municipal foundation in Gatineau

A mural at the marina in Aylmer, Gatineau

Many pieces of art honour animals and birds

Art made from stone -- nature's materials

This art installation is actually in the St. Lawrence River

where the tide will show you a different view every day.

People leave their mark by adding art to the landscape as seen

here with the piled rocks.

"Habitat '67" was a modernistic look at housing. After 55 years, this building

complex is still in use, housing many people in Montreal.

All cultures have their own arts skills. Many skills

are used to beautify ordinary items such as bags, clothing and tools.

The wall of a ice cream shop.

A fun and artistic way to display plants. 

Ordinary items such as mitts and boots

 can make an art piece

An interesting pole at the Zoo Sauvage

A plant installation in Mont Tremblant

Al standing with his buddy.

This wood carving was one of many at Parc Omega.

I have never seen so many carvings all in one place.

It is worth the drive to Parc Omega just to see the carvings.

This bench with owls is another example of a wood carving at Parc Omega

It is not only wood used at Parc Omega. Here is a decorated entranceway.

It is decorated with deer and caribou antlers.

Bev sitting on a bear chair.

In 2022, Quebec City had a public art show throughout

the streets of the City. Upside-down cars.... Art!?

Along an alleyway, hanging bright umbrellas 

give shade during those hot summer days.

A man hanging upside down from a fire escape

    The Wellington Marbles were commissioned by the City of Ottawa. Artists Marcus Kucey-Jones and Ryan Lotecki created eighteen marble sculptures which are now on permanent display along Wellington Street West. A very unique project using the form of fire hydrants and everyday items mixed together. A sign at the one end of the street states,

"Each of the eighteen sculptures commissioned for Wellington Street West playfully captures a fire hydrant from which everyday objects emerge such as local foods, artistic tools and musical instruments. By representing forms connected to the surrounding neighbourhood, The Wellington Marbles pay tribute to the local history and modern renewal of the community."

Here are three of my favourite sculptures.

A perfect cob of corn

A pile of books

Bev standing beside an artichoke

During the last 9 months, I have tried my hand at several pieces of art myself and below are the results:

With several friends online, we learned how to paint 

with acrylics. I am used to painting with watercolour 

which is very different. This is my first attempt at a Sunflower.

I tried again for a Sunflower... looks a little more like one.

An acrylic painting of a jellyfish.

A watercolour painting of a jellyfish

I put on a card and sent to my Granddaughter.

A watercolour painting of a stingray on a card sent 

to one of our Grandsons. Modelled after the toy we sent him.

    Now, not all art is good but as mentioned before, beautiful art is in the eye of the beholder. When we moved into our current apartment, the glass shower door was painted by the previous occupant. This person thought that he was an excellent artist and left his mark in the apartment in a few places, one being the shower door. Using layers of paint, he painted a large tree with grotesque people or a troll or some such creature. The character not only looked weird, it also looked angry which I think the artist was. After spending time with this painting on the door I decided that I could not look at it any more. The artist did not have permission from the landlord to paint it there so I spent many hours scraping it off the shower door. At least it was good exercise for my arms. Now the door is clear and peace reigns in the bathroom again. 

The shower door was covered with a painting of 

a tree and an angry character.

It took me hours to remove the layered

painting from the door.

Art is everywhere but sometimes we have to search for it.  "Art is about paying attention,"  says Laurie Anderson. Do you have art in your community that you like? Look for it the next time you are out or at the mall or in the woods. Enjoy it!