Metropolis, 24″ x 24″ Acrylic on Canvas, in progress. A view south along Sussex Ave to the main Kingsway entrance to the underground parking of Metropolis at Metrotown in Burnaby, BC.
Artwork in Progress
Shanghai Alley – Artwork In Progress
Shanghai Alley, 20″ x 20″ Acrylic on Canvas, in progress. The historic Shanghai Alley is located near the entrance to Vancouver’s Chinatown and is an L shaped roadway which leads south from Pender St, then turns right to exit onto Taylor Avenue. I recently ‘discovered’ this historic building, which is actually the rear facade of 509 Carrall Street, directly on the back-side of the Sam Key Building (the world’s thinnest building), on Pender. You can see the dark grey side of the Sam Key Building with its single arched window on the left of this piece.
Although I may have seen this building frontage years ago, it didn’t register or make an impression at the time. I was always too busy looking at the front of the famous Sam Key (the world’s thinnest building) Building. But on a recent walk, a friend pointed it out to me and I was surprised—maybe it’s painted differently? It really stood out. I loved the window picture of the woman in traditional dress and pose with flowers.
Kits Beach – Artwork In Progress
Kits Beach, 60″ x 30″ Acrylic on Canvas, in progress. Kitsilano (Kits) Pool is one of five outdoor swimming pools in Vancouver. It first opened in 1931, having been constructed at a cost of $50,000. At 137 meters (450 feet), it was, and may still be, the longest salt water pool in North America; almost three times the length of an Olympic pool.
Originally, the pool’s waters where filled and replenished by the changing tide. The pool locked the ocean water in place giving bathers a place to swim at low tide. It even had a sandy bottom until that was replaced with concrete in the 60’s.
The pool was almost entirely rebuilt and pumps and heating systems where added in 1979. Then after falling into a state of disrepair, it was modernized once again with a $3.3 million renovation in 2018. Changes included the removal and replacement of the pool basin membrane, repairs to the pool deck, and the addition of pumps to replenish sea water. Improvements to the concrete, new pool coating and control joints meant less water would escape. Prior to this upgrade, 430,000 gallons of potable water where used each month to keep the pool topped up.
On January 7, 2022, the pool was badly damaged by a harsh wind storm and surge that combined with a king tide. Waves smashed up its sea wall causing structural damage to the pool basin. After over two and a half years of political wrangling, it finally reopened on August 7, 2024.
My view looks north-east, across the pool and English Bay to include Kits Beach and park. Further back is Vancouver’s West End and City, and behind it all are Vancouver’s famous mountains.
Beatty Street – Artwork In Progress
Beatty Street, 36″ x 36″ Acrylic on Canvas, in progress. Follow the steps as I paint this view facing north-east along the 500 block of Beatty Street in Vancouver, BC.