Grand Manan Island 2014 – Day One!

You’ll find lots of different boats in the harbours and waters of Grand Manan Island but, to find one of these, you’ll have to go to the dollar store. I used this toy boat as my subject for a demonstration of basic pen and ink techniques this morning in our studio. We were studio-bound due to inclement weather.

The pen and ink practice paid off as we drove to Grand Harbour and visited the fascinating Grand Manan Museum for the rest of the day and drew from the exhibits. Our hospitable hosts were MJ Edwards, Curator/Director and a prominent local artist and cheerful and helpful Holley Sturgeon, Summer Student Staff.

The Museum collection focuses on local history and the range is quite extensive. The fishing industry is well represented, of course. Many of the students drew in the Allan Moses Bird Collection. Mr. Moses was an avid birder and early advocate of protection of the breeding habitat of Eider Ducks. His taxidermy skills contributed to this extensive collection, which includes a Passenger Pigeon.

At the end of the day, we thanked the Museum staff and headed back to the studio for our critique. Have a look at a selection of the work. Tomorrow, we’re going to sketch and paint in North Head.

 

 

Tags: Allan Moses, art holidays, Art Workshops, Barry Coombs, Canada, Grand Harbour, Grand Manan Island, Grand Manan Museum, New Brunswick, Ontario, pen and ink, Sketching