Making A Visit To The Hill

 A few days back, I paid a visit to Parliament Hill one afternoon to take some photos. This was two-fold; it's been awhile since I've done so, particularly around the back with the work that's going on here around Centre Block, and as well, I wanted to fill some time before I can really take tulip photos, so I'd thought of ideal spots for taking shots for two or more days worth of posts. I started around West Block, looking west in the direction of the Confederation Block.

Around the grounds are a number of monuments- prime ministers, Fathers of Confederation, and others. Some are accessible during the work, including this one, honouring Robert Borden, who led the country through the First World War.

West Block is where the House of Commons is meeting while the work continues in Centre Block. At the time of my visit, the South Korean foreign minister was in town.

Looking west from two different spots along the path. The Portage Bridge, where I photograph from twice a month, is seen in the distance spanning the Ottawa River.

A look towards the Peace Tower of Centre Block.

The highest ground on the Hill is topped with two monuments. The first is to Queen Victoria.

And the second is for one of our greatest prime ministers, Lester Pearson.

Freedom Of Expression

 Untitled is this abstract painting by Leon Bellefleur.

Incandescence is the title of this 1968 abstract by Rita Letendre.

More abstracts can be seen here.

Red Pair is by Don Jarvis.

Paraskeva Clark, a Russian immigre to Canada, painted Homage To A Soviet Film, Baltic Deputy in 1968.

Out I went, taking a shot of the Firestone staircase from this floor.

I took a photograph of where I had come in- with a cafe down below as well.

The OAG has art for sale. These two paintings caught my attention.

One last shot, with the OAG in the background from this side, one big white cube. In the foreground, the old Carleton County Gaol, now a youth hostel. And the former courthouse that is now home to Arts Court is at left.

Canadian Creativity

 We start today with Canal in Venice, an 1896 painting by Maurice Cullen.

More works by members of the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, but done with European settings.

Frood Lake At Willisville is the title of this 1963 painting by A.J. Casson.

Four paintings by members of the Group of Seven. At left are Clouds On The Prairies by L.L. Fitzgerald and Lake Simcoe by J.E.H. Macdonald. At right are Looking Towards Seymour From Lynn Valley, BC by F.H. Varley and April Morning, Labine Point, Great Bear Lake, NWT by Franz Johnston.

These paintings are from some of the contemporaries of the Group, some of whom exhibited with them from time to time- artists like Emily Carr, Yvonne McKague Housser, and George Pepper.

A.Y Jackson had a personal friendship with the Firestone family. Along with paintings seen here is one of his field art kits and a pair of his snow shoes.

Fitzroy Harbour is the big painting, and at right is Near Perth and Waters Edge, Duhamel, Quebec.

Here we see some of the more abstract works in the collection by later artists. We'll finish this series tomorrow.

Visions And Views

Evening, Bic, Quebec is a 1974 painting by Henri Masson, and it is the first thing one sees coming into the next gallery space. 

Visions And Views is the current title of the exhibition in this space, spotlighting a number of works in the Firestone Collection.

40 percent of the Firestone Collection comes from works by the Group of Seven, the Canadian artists who exhibited together for a number of years and who left a big legacy on their contemporaries and the country.

This is Algoma Country II by Lawren Harris of the Group, done in 1923.

Here we have Interior Of An Island, Georgian Bay, by Arthur Lismer, another member of the Group, a 1952 painting.

Two paintings by Lismer- South Beach, Vancouver Island dates to 1963 and Georgian Bay Pines is from 1962.

In The Nickel Belt is a 1928 painting by Franklin Carmichael of the Group.

These are the works of A.Y. Jackson, another member of the Group. Fire Swept Country, Lake Superior dates to 1967. At top right is Willoughby Lake, a 1963 painting. And at lower right is St. Adele, dating to 1959.

These painting are all by A.J. Casson, another member of the Group. The top three are The Valley, Autumn (Lansing), Drag Lake, and Rock Formation-Dorset Road. At bottom are Margaret's Boat- Lake Of Two Rivers, Summer Day- Oxtongue Lake, and Winter Landscape- Muir Park.

Another work by Harris- Mount Thule, Bylot Island, circa 1930.