Platform 9 ¾, the Portal to Hogwarts

 

12 x 12 inches, acrylic on gessoed mounted aluminium panel               

 painting #298, 2024 - black floater frame 

I first discovered the Harry Potter books through the Rosie O'Donnell Show in the late 1990's. She was a fanatic from the get go and promoted not only the books, but its author J.K. Rowling (Joanne Rowling), the film series that followed and its stars. I started buying the books at Costco not long after, and anticipating the release of each one which totalled seven in that series. Each new book release became an event with people lining outside book stores for hours if not days before the release date. I read the first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone during the month of November/December 2000. 

A great author has a way of keeping the reader engaged. J.K. Rowling's creative story telling, imagination and the whole fantasy world she created just sparked my imagination and painted every scene in my head with details and wonderment. When the films started coming out, I was awestruck by how they were able to recreate that whole world on celluloid. 

Much like the books series that broke sale records, the blockbuster motion pictures were equally on par as a cultural phenomenon. Not to mention all of the derived commercial products associated with this franchise that are still being produced for their legions of fans. The seven books has been translated in over 80 languages and sold in excess of 520 millions copies. On a 1,2 billion dollar budget, the franchise comprising of eight films has made a whopping 7,7 billion dollars at the box office. The films which stared then newcomers Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley) and Emma Watson (Hermione Granger) were surrounded by a stellar cast of the most celebrated British actors including Maggie Smith, Ian McKellen, Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Robbie Coltrane, Richard Harris, Gary Oldman, Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Imelda Stanton, John Hurt, Kenneth Branagh and many more.

Platform 9¾, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (movie scene) 

I ended reading five of the seven books. The only reason why I didn't read the last two was because I had changed jobs and devoted less time for reading, not because they were not interesting.  

When the first film was released, it became the highest-grossing film of 2001 and the second-highest-grossing film of all-time after The Titanic. My son Jean-Luc's childhood revolved around LEGOS. When he was six years old, he asked Santa for the Hogwarts Castle for Christmas. Harry Potter Lego sets started coming out during the release of the first film. He had seen it at Costco so when he found it under the tree on Christmas morning, he was as surprised as I was. We spend that whole morning setting it up. Jean-Luc has a very creative imagination, so it wasn't long until he dismantled it and elaborated other versions combining other Lego sets from his collection. 

Jean-Luc with his re-invented Hogwarts Castle, 2002 (age 6 or 7)

In 2010, when Jean-Luc was 15 years old, we visited London and did a few day trips in England. He is still to this day a big supporter of Chelsea Football Club. While we weren't lucky enough to get tickets to see them play a soccer game, we did go on a tour of Stamford Bridge, the stadium where they play. However, we were able to attend a match when Manchester City was visiting West Ham F.C. 

During one of our day trips, we visited the campus of Oxford University. Christ Church College provided the location for many Harry Potter scenes. The staircase below was used to film the famous entrance scene where Professor McGonagall meets Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

Oxford University, May 2010

The staircase then leads up to the Tudor Great Dining Hall which served as inspiration for the great Hogwarts Dining Hall. The hallways of Christ Church were also used to film the scene in which Hermione shows Harry the Quidditch trophy his late father had won.

Oxford University, May 2010

Fast forward 2019, when Jean-Luc was 24, he and I hiked the Portuguese Way on the Camino from Porto, Portugal to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Our 10 day walking trek covered 240 km. Before departing, we visited Porto for two days. JK Rowling lived in Porto from 1991-1993, where she wrote the first three chapters of the first Harry Potter book. The famous Livraria Lello's bookstore's interior architecture is rumored to have contributed in inspiring the book shop Flourish and Blotts in Daigon Alley for the serial. 

My son Jean-Luc, Porto, July 2019.

Signed by JK Rowling, Livraria Lello bookstore, Porto, July 2019.

Back in 2001, Jean-Luc was collecting Harry Potter trading cards which was part of a card game. I would later incorporate some of these in a painting entitled "Trading Cards".

Trading Cards, 16 x 12", acrylic, painting #64, 2004

This current painting, "Platform 9¾, the Portal to Hogwarts" has been on the backburner for more than 10 years. I initially did of a photo study session back in 2013, but somehow felt the time wasn't right to paint it until now. 

Last month, Jean-Luc, now 29 got married to his sweetheart Jessica. Even the rain could not dampen that day, when they exchanged vows in a small garden wedding on her father's property. Many of their close friends had a small role in making it quite possibly the most memorable wedding that I've attended. I even pitched in by making the wedding cake and cupcakes. This painting just seemed fitting as a perfect wedding gift to the both of them. Jessica is also a fan of the Harry Potter series and is currently reading the books. Jean-Luc recently mentioned that they've watch the films on DVD's numerous times since they've been together. 

Jean-Luc and Jessica's Wedding, Sept. 2024

I redid a photo study from a different perspective for this painting. I had acquired these Harry Potter glasses about a dozen years ago from an on-line vendor specifically for this painting. The imagery includes all seven books. They were published by Bloomsbury in the U.K. and by Bloomsbury/ Raincoast in Canada sharing the same artwork on their book covers. In the US, the books were published by Scholastic with completely different artwork. 

For the first book cover art, Bloomsbury chose a pencil drawing with watercolour by illustrator Thomas Taylor showing Harry boarding the Hogwarts Express. The successive books in the series followed with somewhat more fantasy style artwork created by Cliff Wright (books 2 & 3), Giles Greenfield (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) and Jason Cockroft (last three books).

Illustrations and studies for Harry Potter by Giles Greenfield.

I completed this painting on September 27. Later that day, I was sadden to  learned that Maggie Smith, who played the role of Professor Minerva McGonagall in film series had died at the age of 89. Of course she is also known for her scene stealing, multi-award winning role of Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham in the British period drama Downton Abbey. 

I'm happy that this painting will remain in the family since it's so linked to the upbringing of my son, his childhood and now his adult life with his wife.   

-Private Collection 

Anne with an E, an homage to Lucy Maud Montgomery on her 150th Birthday

         14 x 11 inches, acrylic on gessoed mounted aluminium panel               

 painting #297, 2024 - black floater frame 

This painting is an homage to Lucy Maud Montgomery on her sesquicentennial. This is my fourth painting inspired by the Anne of Green Gables novel. Other paintings can be view on this link or by clicking Lucy Maud Montgomery found in the right column under Labels. 

Heritage Minutes

The famous House of Green Gables that served as the setting for the Cuthbert's in the novel was built during the 1830's by the MacNeil family who were related to the author. In 1909, a year after the first Anne of Green Gables book was published, the house was sold to Myrtle and Ernest Webb. Myrtle was a cousin of Lucy.  In 1936, the house was sold to the Government of Canada when it became vacant, later to be turned into a National Historic Site. 

I've visited the house several times, but not in recent years. Two years ago, just before Prince Edward Island was hit by hurricane Fiona, my wife and I spent three days in Cavendish to cycle on the bike paths of the National Park. We then visited the house that now boasted a beautiful interpretive center (2019). I had brought a bottle of Raspberry Cordial with me, and did a few photos on site. Unfortunately, none of the pictures I took were major enough to paint from. Not long after, I found this book published by Paper Mill Press at Homesense, which seemed perfect to anchor a composition.

Anne of Green Gables, the Musical was performed annually from its opening in 1965 until 2019. The musical had to be cancelled for the first time in 54 years during the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2014, it was officially recognized by Guinness World Records as the longest running annual musical theatre production in the world.

Anne returned to the Charlottetown Festival stage for the 2022 season. However, organizers announced that the show would be produced only in alternating years from then on and would return in 2024, coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Montgomery's birth. My wife and I took in the second presentation of the summer season on June 20. We had seen the theatrical production twice, the last time was when our son was quite young. We absolutely loved it. We laughed and even shed a few tears. Kelsey Verzotti as the mellow-dramatic protagonist was a revelation to us. The cast, set decoration and orchestra were equally amazing.

Earlier that day, we visited the Green Gables House again, specifically to do a photo study session for this painting. It was quite possibly the warmest day of the whole summer, with the mercury pushing 34°C and the humidex climbing up pass 40°C. We left Moncton under a blue sky that morning. A heavy downpour came out of nowhere just before arriving to Cavendish. Afterwards, the sky remained partially overcast and grey, so the lighting was not great.  When I opened the soda pop bottle of Raspberry Cordial, with the beverage being cool and the weather being so muggy, the inside of the bottle instantly fogged up. Nonetheless, I did my best to set up a composition under these conditions.

Anne's Room at the Green Gables House

After I got home, I proceeded to do dozens of photos for the sky, bottle, book and apple tree under sunnier conditions. I ended up working from nine photos, using bits and bites of each in order to achieve the imagery for this painting. The book is resting on a bench made from a stone slab that is located across the front lawn of Green Gables House.

In late June, the Royal Canadian Mint unveiled commemorative coins of $1 (loonie) and a silver $20 to celebrate the 150th birthday of L.M. Montgomery. This would also mark the first time an author has appeared on a Canadian coin.

My wife Suzanne at the Lucy Maud Montgomery Park in Cavendish, PEI. - Sept. 2022

The artist responsible for the iconic artwork on the Raspberry Cordial bottle is Ben Stahl. The Chicago born artist / illustrator moved to Prince Edward Island in 1984. He did a series of Anne paintings during the late eighties and early nineties that would make him famous. These were also reproduced on book covers, Canadian postage stamps (2008), posters, decorative plates and coffee mugs. Sadly, Mr. Stahl passed away on June 15, 2024 at the age of 91. Unknowingly doing the photo study in Cavendish five days after his death, this painting is also an homage to him, since it's the imagery on the bottle that inspired the whole painting. Anne's face on my painting is only the size of a dime. It was intricate to paint. My rendition, although not exactly identical, might make her appear more youthful. 

Artwork of Anne by Ben Stahl (1932-2024)

This painting will be on view at the Fog Forest Gallery in a group exhibition entitled, 40 years in the Forest, celebrating the gallery's 40th anniversary - September 6 until October 11. Check gallery website for hours of operation.

Self at the opening reception, Sept. 6, 2024 

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

https://fogforestgallery.ca/

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD 

 

The Crown

            12 x 12 inches, acrylic on gessoed mounted aluminium panel               

 painting #296, 2024 - black floater frame

 

The year 2022 marked a milestone and a memoriam for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 following the death of her father King George VI. On February 6, 2022, she would celebrate her platinum jubilee, marking 70 years as the longest reigning monarch of England and Head of the Commonwealth. She died later that same year on September 8, 2022 at the age of 96. 

As one of the most famous person in the world, Queen Elizabeth II was known for her unwavering sense of duty, responsibility, steadfastness and grace. She always put the needs of her country and her people first. Although she faced occasional republican sentiment and media criticism, most often directed towards members of her family and during certain tragic events; the support for the monarchy in the United Kingdom remained consistently high throughout her lifetime, as did her popularity. 

During her reign, she visited and toured my province of New Brunswick a total of five times. Click HERE for a highlight of her visits. I got to see here briefly in a passing car while visiting Moncton on September 24, 1984.

I've been to England three times. Although I've never visited the inside of Buckingham Palace, my wife Suzanne and I have visited Kensington Palace while Princess Diana was still alive and with our son Jean-Luc, we visited Windsor Castle, where the Queen and Prince Philip spent many of their weekends. 

 

  Buckingham Palace, London, May 6, 2010

Windsor Castle, May 3, 2010

One person who has made the monarchy relevant to the masses is none other than screen and playwriter Peter Morgan. He's responsible for writing extensively about Queen Elizabeth II creating no less than three major productions. First, as the screenwriter for the 2006 film, The Queen starring Helen Mirren in the title role. The movie received rave reviews and earned Mirren many accolades including an Academy Award for best actress.

In 2013, Morgan wrote the play, The Audience with Mirren reprising the role of Queen Elizabeth II. The play revolves around weekly meetings between the Queen and her prime ministers. I had a chance to attend a production of that play as it was broadcast live to cinema on June 13, 2013. The broadcast broke the record for most people viewing a live production with nearly 80,000 people watching in the UK and 30,000 people in North America. I remember waiting two hours in the movie theatre on Trinity Drive before the broadcast started as there were technical issues in London that cause a major delay. Still, Helen Mirren gave a tour de force performance. The conversations with the prime ministers are not held in chronological order so with a magical quick changes of costume and wigs, she could be switching from Winston Churchill to John Cameron within a few minutes.

Lastly, Peter Morgan is also the principal script writer for all six seasons of the Crown on Netflix. I watched a few episodes of season 1 when it first came out in 2016. But it was only when I started this painting late last fall that I watched all six seasons. The Crown has been praised by critics for its acting, directing, writing, cinematography, and production value. However, its historical inaccuracies have been criticized, particularly in the latter seasons. Netflix has noted that it's "fictional dramatisation" that was "inspired by real events". Nonetheless, I have to say that I absolutely love it and found all six seasons riveting. 

The concept for this painting arose upon seeing two companion books written by Robert Lacey about the Netflix series. Lacey also served as historical consultant for The Crown. It immediately ignited the possibility of incorporating them in a still life painting with a Crown mason jar. Last fall, during the process of doing a few photo studies for the painting, I realized that they lacked color and impact. A quick visit to my local Chapters bookstore remedied that problem as I was lucky enough to find a small coffee table book entitled, The Platinum Queen published in 2022 by Allen & Unwin. This book is a photo essay that chronicles more than 75 speeches given by the Queen during her reign. 

In 2012, during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary), the Royal Collection would acquire four of Andy Warhol's famous serigraph portraits of Queen Elizabeth II that were exhibited later that fall at Windsor Castle. Click HERE to view the acquired artwork.

During her Platinum Jubilee, Queen Elizabeth II would get the royal treatment by gracing the cover of the May 2022 issue of Vanity Fair Magazine, with three variations of Warhol's portraits. 

On November 24, 2022, two months after her passing, a serigraph prints entitled, Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, from Reigning Queen, Royal Edition was sold at auction by Heffel Fine Art Auction House in Toronto for $1,141,250 CDN, double the pre-auction estimated price. Click HERE to view.

For this painting, I not only wanted to pay homage to the Queen but to Andy Warhol as well.  Incorporating a Pop Art portrait in the background would create a myriad of colors inside the canning jar. In order to establish a more cohesive palette, I took the artistic liberty of modify several colours. After painting her face a pale shade of blue, I then proceeded to paint several thin glazes of a peach hue to tone down the blue in order to avoid references to the Blue Man Group. I procrastinated for the longest time in painting the Queen's face that appears on the book. That photograph is attributed to Getty Images. Because of the perspective of the book which physically alters her features, her profile in pencil almost looked like Mr. Burns of the Simpsons. All joking aside, I was able to pull it off. In the original photo, the pearl necklace she is wearing has three strands. I opted for two so it would have more presence. 

I did a quick online search and found that the original photograph Warhol used to create his serigraph prints was taken by Peter Grugeon (1918-1980) at Windsor Castle in April 1975. It was later released in 1977 to celebrate the Silver Jubilee. Reproduction of this particular image was used extensively, appearing on commemorative merchandise as well as banknotes across the Commonwealth. In Canada, it was printed on a 25¢ stamp, which I collected at the time when I was 15 years old. On the original photograph, the dress she's wearing is in a pale shade of pink with pearl embellishment, while on the Canadian stamp it appears more to be in a mauvish tone which was the color I settle on for my painting.

Canadian Stamp SC 704 - 1977

photo by Peter Grugeon

She is wearing a collection of Royal Jewels: the Vladimir tiara, Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee necklace, Queen Alexandra's wedding earrings and the Family Orders of King George V and King George VI on the Garter sash. The tiara has a fascinating history since it was smuggled out of Russia by a British antiques dealer after the assassination of the Tsar Nicholas II and members of the Romanov family. It was later bought by Elizabeth II's grandmother Queen Mary. It originally belonged to the Grand Duchess Vladimir (1854-1920), the wife of the Tsar's uncle, Grand Duke Alexandrovich of Russia. She was the last Romanov to escape Revolutionary Russia and the first to die while in exile in France. 

Both sporting killer moustaches,

Emperor (Tsar) Nicholas II of Russia with

his doppelganger first cousin , 

George V (grand-father of Queen Elizabeth II)

photo- Wikipedia

Vladimir Tiara

The Crown mason jar in my painting is dated 1947 on the bottom. It was actually made in Canada, but for the narrative I substituted it's origin to England. The jar is only one third fill with water. I often insert a marble in the composition as a form of symbolism when my intention is to play a mind-game with the looker. More recently, in the early 21st century, increasing dissatisfaction with several members the house of Windsor and the Royal Family, especially after the death of Queen Elizabeth II has led to public support for the monarchy reaching historical lows. 

With a reign spanning seven decade, Queen Elizabeth II was the only sovereign that most of us have known during our lifetime. She was as much of an institution as anyone in modern history. I leave you with one of her speeches that is written on the back cover of the book featured in the painting. 

''For more than seventy years, I have been lucky to meet and to know many of the world's great leaders. And I have perhaps come to understand a little about what made them special.

It has sometimes been observed that what leaders do for their people today is government and politics. But what they do for the people of tomorrow - that is statesmanship.

I, for one, hope that this conference will be one of those rare occasions where everyone will have the chance to rise above the politics of the moment, and achieve true statesmanship''. 

-Her Majesty, the Queen. Address to the COP26, urging world leaders to find solution to the climate challenges facing our planet. Nov. 1, 2021.

This painting is currently on view at the Fog Forest Gallery in a group exhibition entitled, "Summer Views" - July 11 to August 30, 2024. (will be removed from exhibition if sold). Check website for gallery hours. 

Fog Forest Gallery

14 Bridge Street, Sackville,

New Brunswick, Canada, E4L 3N5

Phone (506) 536-9000

https://fogforestgallery.ca/

e-mail: janet@fogforstgallery.ca

-SOLD

Confiture de Fraises

7 x 5", acrylic on gessobord 

Painting #295, 2024

I've just returned from a solo trip to France where I spent 24 days. My main goal was to walk again on the Camino de Santiago Trail network. This time, my trek began in Périgueux in the rain, on the Vézelay Way GR-654. It’s a much less traveled path. My first three days were spent on the Bergerac variant. I left the Vézelay Way after 9 stages, and transitioned onto the Puy-en-Velay Way GR-65 during my 10th stage (so I was off the grid from Villeneuve-de-Marsan to Aire-sur-l'Adour). My last six stages took me to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and the finish line. Having previously completed 10 stages in 2017 and 14 stages in 2018, by walking these last six stages, I've completed the Puy-en-Velay Way (752 km). After five treks on the Camino de Santiago network (2009, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024), I have now accumulated 78 stages in France, Spain and Portugal totaling over 2000 km. I hope that there will be more in my future.

Saint James Gate and the finish line!

Before departing on my Camino, I had an opportunity to visit some friends, Chantal and Thierry who happen to live 5 km from Périgueux in France. The Dordogne region of France is known for its vineyards and the land of 1001 castles. After I was done hiking on the Puy Way, I spent three days in the Basque country in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Bayonne and Biarritz. As luck would have it, the Olympic Flame of the Paris Summer Olympiads would be making its way to Bordeaux during my last day in France. I had the opportunity to take part in the festivities surrounding the Olympic Torch Relay. Having been a torch bearer twice, it meant the world to me to just bask it all in.

This small painting was gifted to my friends who picked me up at the Bordeaux airport, hosted me in their beautiful home for two days and share with me some the local culture, cuisine and wines.

-Private collection - FRANCE

 

2024 OPEN INTERNATIONAL ONLINE JURIED EXHIBITION

"Candy Crush"

24 x 16", acrylic on mounted gessoed aluminium panel

painting #284, 2021

-Private Collection

Title - Perfect Seal Jar

10 x 8", acrylic on mounted gessoed aluminium panel

painting #289, 2021

-Private Collection 

 

Title- Pinned up 7-Up

14 x 14", acrylic on gessoed aluminium panel

painting #291, 2021

-SOLD

I'm a bit late in posting this, but better late than never. Earlier this year, I had submitted three images of my paintings for the 2024 OPEN INTERNATIONAL ONLINE JURIED EXHIBITION hosted by the Society of Canadian Artists based in Toronto. From 767 submissions from across Canada and around the globe, a jury of five selected 122 works for the show based on the criteria of technical excellence, artistic expression and creative innovation. I'm among a dozen artists to have three pieces in this collective. Grateful to add this show to my résumé. The on-line exhibition runs from April 1st to June 15th, 2024. You can view the exhibition at this LINK.

 

 

Lunar Codex - Artwork archived on the Moon!

  

On March 1, 2022,  I had received a notification from Dr. Samuel Peralta (physicist, author, entrepreneur, art curator) that imagery of my artwork would be included in a time capsule that would be heading to the Moon. But I was not alone, far from it. Lunar Codex, founded and curated by Dr. Peralta would include creative works digitalized on nano fiche discs from 35,000 contemporary artists, writers, musicians and filmmakers from 233 countries, territories and indigenous nations. Three images of my paintings appeared in The Realism Issue (#67) of Poets and Artists Magazine back in September 2015. It was guest edited by Frank Bernarducci, and published by Didi Menendez. This magazine was digitized on one of the Codex Nova nano fiche discs. 

 

A first attempt of a lunar lander mission was launched on January 8, 2024. Peregrine Mission One built by Atrobotic Technology experienced problems shortly after the lander separated from the rocket. A propellant leak prevented the lander from completing its mission. The spacecraft would eventually be redirected back to earth, where it burned over the Pacific Ocean, six days later on January 18.

 

The second attempt was launched on February 15, 2024. The lunar lander, Nova-C named Odysseus was designed by Intuitive Machines. Codex Nova was among the small payload carried by Odysseus that successfully landed on the South Pole of the Moon yesterday evening, February 22. This historical event would mark the first American spacecraft to perform a soft landing on the Moon in over 50 years, since Apollo 17 in 1972.

The Odysseus lunar lander, including all payloads - is now a de facto Artemis Accords Heritage Site - and all the artworks, writings, music, and film on Codex Nova are now part of the designated heritage of humanity, to be preserved for posterity as signed by 36 countries to date.

Lunar landing of Odysseus, February 22, 2024

YouTube video from the NASA Channel 

(skip to 1h41min for landing confirmation)

I am forever grateful to Dr. Peralta and all those involved in this monumental achievement.