The Works at Churchill Square

The east edge of Churchill Square, a major site at the annual Works Art & Design Festival where we spent a brief time today to enjoy the atmosphere and sun.

bumpy bus ride

The bumpy bus ride home after work, as reflected in the linework...

terrible twos

My son just turned two years old... it feels like only yesterday when he came into our world, yet at the same time like an eternity as we think of how far he has developed... we cannot now imagine our lives without him.

"For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.  
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well." Psalm 139 vv. 13-14 NIV

spray deck

Temperatures hit a high of 26C today, with clear blue skies... a perfect day to spend a late afternoon at a spray deck, where we found that some good friends were thinking exactly the same thing.

Completely unrelated to the spray park...
my son plays with his trains, which are his life at the moment.

water truck

A city of Edmonton water truck waiting to be towed on a busy street after seemingly having broken down.

irises for mommy

Two of the 15 or so irises that my daughter cut from our yard, to give to her mommy. We have been fortunate that most of these plants have survived our ineptitude and neglect as gardeners, and are flourishing this year in our yard.

loader on 108 Street

A loader sits at a road construction site - part of the improvements to 108 Street that will connect the legislature building with MacEwan University.

double portraits

 The kids take turns watching videos on Youtube... after a time of peaceful watching taking turns choosing which cartoon clips to watch, a little misunderstanding turns into some crying and throwing of tantrums for the older sibling. I am reminded that after the Fall and the broken relationships between man and God, man and woman, man and nature, there was Cain and Abel... a huge uphill battle for us as parents.

residential lane

I sit, parked in the church parking lot by a residential lane, sketching with my daughter, as we wait out the time that my son takes his afternoon nap in the car.

MacEwan University courtyard (takes 3 & 4)

Two more sketches on a sunny day, at the courtyard in front of MacEwan University. 

It never occurred to me even after all these years that some of these building forms make direct reference to the mountain landscapes of Alberta, which is quite evident from this angle. The towers in the background add further depth, again reminiscent of some of the majestic and layered vistas common around the Rockies.

MacEwan University courtyard (take 2)

Another view of the main courtyard at MacEwan University, this time towards the mini-amphitheatre space. I admire the primal, totemic forms of concrete and tyndall stone that compose the buildings; this little outdoor space outside the main cafeteria reminds me of ancient greek theatres, while the humble sloped roofs with seemingly residential shingles recall old prairie farmhouses.

MacEwan University courtyard

The south facing lawn at the main entry of MacEwan University is full of people enjoying the sun on this beautiful summer day.

I ran out of paper in my sketchbook, and had to draw over my daughter's work...

collision repair yard

Two cars, both in very rough shape, sit by the lane in a lonely industrial area of town... one is a huge recent Ford, the other a smaller, rusted vintage vehicle from at least 40 years ago. The odd combination and animated character conjure images from the Disney Cars franchise (made familiar to me through my 2 year old son), albeit in a more elegiac way on this rather gloomy and rainy day.

Strathcona Farmer's Market

 at the Old Strathcona Farmer's market with some in-laws...

waiting to dance

 My daughter waits for her class's turn to take the stage in a dance recital rehearsal.

I forgot my camera... actually the parents were commanded not to bring them to the theatre, and I naively obliged. I'd say barely half the parents obeyed... who can resist (these things are mostly about us parents, after all)?

Some girls in green frog-themed costumes wait their turn also. 

downtown and river valley

the Edmonton skyline sitting atop the river valley, which glows almost dreamlike in the June sunlight

at the community school

Story time last week, and the lunchtime picnic during the "undou-kai" program this week at the community school that my daughter attends...