08/09/2026
Expect the unexpected was probably what I had in mind when I accepted an invitation to paint outdoors with a group of artists. My first plein-air painting experience had been less than satisfying, but I decided to give it another try.
We met beside the Lachine Canal, a place full of life in the summer: cyclists and pedestrians along the bike path, kayakers and pleasure boats on the water, people gathering in cafés, and a market filled with fresh produce—all with Montréal’s cityscape in the background.
I smiled when the organizer announced the theme: Unexpected / Inattendu. “Paint anything you see that you weren’t expecting to see around the Lachine Canal,” she said. I remember noticing a butterfly—or two—amid all the activity. Then there was a dog lying beside a picnic table while its owner had lunch. Suddenly, the dog was startled: head and ears raised, eyes wide, but not a bark.
In this painting, which I’ve titled Out of the Blue, I brought together two images: a startled dog and a butterfly. I never saw what startled the dog, but I imagined that the sudden fly-past of a butterfly—or perhaps a bird—was the unexpected moment.
This painting is not in my usual style or subject matter, and it came together much faster than my usual seven hours or more. That, too, was unexpected. In the end, the experience came full circle—and turned into a pleasant surprise. I’m looking forward to more outdoor painting sessions, with eager curiosity about what I’ll create next.
To see more pastel paintings and to make inquiries, visit my virtual gallery https://camilleisaacsmorell.com/gallery_gallerie/
