ArtistsNetwork.com 19instead to paint the things that are
seemingly unspectacular—roads,
houses and trees, often in Montreal’s
older residential neighborhoods. Far
from being mundane, these subjects
off er fascinating and unexpected pat-
terns of light and dark shapes to those
who take the time to look for them.
Th e artist credits her painting with
helping her to discover her native city
in a way she never had before.
“I’m always looking for contrasts
in values,” Blaukopf says. “I often go
to a cemetery not far from my home,
which has a beautiful road with trees
on either side. It’s so beautiful in the
winter—all those dark shapes in the
light. I also love painting trees in the
winter, or bicycles stuck in the snow,
or outdoor staircases, which are a
Montreal icon.”
Although she loves working out-
doors, not every painting Blaukopf
produces is done on location. “If I see
an amazing scene as I’m walking my
dog, I’ll take a photo and come back
to the studio and paint it right away,”
she says. “I try to do it immediately,
while the atmosphere of the day is
still in my head.”Creating
in the Car
Blaukopf often paints
while sitting in her car.
She positions her water
containers in the cup
holders, lays her palette
on the passenger seat
and leans her sketchbook
against the steering
wheel. She says she can
usually last for half an
hour with the heat off
before she has to turn on
the car again to warm up.
“But in Montreal,” she
says, “there are days
when it’s minus 20
degrees Celsius [-4
degrees Fahrenheit] and
then I can’t even make it
30 minutes, because the
paint crystalizes on the
palette. Some days, I’ll
get so absorbed in the
painting that I don’t
realize until an hour later
that I’m frozen.”
Blaukopf offers these
tips for anyone wanting to
give in-car painting a try:- Don’t leave the wipers
on. “I’ve done that and
have had to get the car
boosted after the battery
went dead.” - Turn the car engine
on from time to time to
stay warm. “Don’t wait
until your feet are frozen.” - Once you’ve settled
on the view you’ll be
painting, take a quick
photo just in case. “I’ll
think that I’ve parked in
a spot where no one else
can come and block my
view, and then a beer
truck will come and park
right in front of me.” - Work with your paints
a little drier in the cold
weather. “When I’m in my
car, it takes a long time
for the paper to dry, so
I work drier to make the
process faster.”