Like much of North America, we experienced very cold temperatures for a few days.  Following that, however, we’ve experienced weather that made it seem like May here in Quebec City.  It rained, it got warmer (40F a couple days).  Excepting this has turned all of Quebec City into a lumpy skating rink, it’s been wonderful.

I was supposed to meet Claudette at a cafe for our weekly sketching session and I arrived about 10-15 minutes ahead of her.  Rather than going inside, I found a place to stand out of the light rain that was falling and drew the exterior of the cafe.  When she arrived we went inside and I added color to my sketch and added some other ‘stuff’ to the page.  Done in a Stillman & Birn Alpha (4×6) with a Pilot Prera.

While Claudette was finishing up a sketch I looked outside and saw this lonely street lamp, its feet stuck in heavy, dirty snow and it’s head bent over as a response to the rain.  It seemed so forlorn so I sketched it.  This was done in my el cheapo 3×5 notebook.

We finished up and Claudette and I headed off in different directions.  I walked down St. Jean street, heading towards the old city and it was wonderful.  The rain had become nearly a mist and it was warm enough that I could actually remove my gloves.  I saw that as a ‘sign’ and as I walked past this building, with its amazing roof, I ducked into a little alcove out of the rain and did this quick sketch of it in my S&B Alpha (4×6).  I added the color to this little sketch when I got home but, for me, this sketch was pretty special as the winter cold has prevented me from sketching outdoors.  It was, indeed, a great day.