A couple weeks ago, I was in Kingston, Ontario for my youngest daughter’s graduation from Queen’s University.

I always like seeing new places and scoping out potential paintings. At some point, I will paint the Kingston harbour so I can capture all the details that made it captivating. From the reflections created by the light hitting the water, to a tour boat that gave me nostalgia for my time in St Louis as a girl, to Fort Henry and the watch towers in the background, each feature worked in tandem to create a picturesque scene. I even liked the Canadian Geese in the foreground. I took several reference photos to get angles and possible perspectives, so I will be able to fully capture the scene in a future painting.

While resting by the pool one afternoon at our hotel, I painted (plein air- painting in the open air) the gazebo in front of me and added a plant I had seen and painted in Edmonton. Quiet beauty, 6 x 5.5in, watercolor. ©Julie Drew

On our way back to the airport, we made a brief detour to the Prince Edward County Lavender farm where my daughter filmed me painting the lavender field. We will get it posted on Youtube later this month. Fragrant Waves, 5 x 7 in, watercolor. ©Julie Drew I had never seen white lavendar. Have you?

Join me for some plein air sessions this summer- two Thursdays in July and two in August (2025). $20 a session. Send me an email if you are interested. More information on the plein air sessions.