Painting in Mille Isles 

  By: Ilania Abileah

Click on Photos to enlarge, and on underlined links to navigate.

29 March 2006:  Johanne Arsenault, Monique Laramée & France.

Monique Laramée joined me to paint at Mille Isles Community Hall since January 2006, every Wednesday.  Sometimes, Monique's friend Linda joins us and so does Margaret, recently Johanne Arsenault came and even brought her friend France. 

  We are doing mixed media. Monique and I provide guidance and teach various techniques.

Painting Sessions at the Community Hall, Mille Isles.

I am in the process of organizing weekly 3-hour painting sessions, sometimes with live models (dressed). If you are interested, please call (450)226-3889 or when line is busy, dial (450) 602-4073.  These classes are offered to Mille Isles residents free of charge (except for sharing the cost of live models.)

Je suis en train d’organiser des sessions de peinture d’une durée de 3 heures chaque semaine, parfois avec modèles vivants habillés à la salle communautaire de Mille Isles.  Si vous êtes intéressés, téléphonez au (450) 226-3889 ou si la ligne est occupée, composez le 450-602-4073.    Ces classes seront ouvertes aux résidents de Mille Isles à titre gratuit, (sauf participation dans les frais de modèles vivants.)

Mille Isles Decorative Painters

22 January 2005

The Mille Isles Decorative Painters group meets every Friday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the social hall, Mille Isles City Hall.  They either bring their own lunch or make a pot-luck meal.  The group is open to new members (no age limitations).  Despite the fact that they do concentrate on decorative painting (and/or toll painting, and Folk Art) they sometimes invite a teacher to learn new techniques.  Other painters are welcome to join this fine group of artists who really concentrate while they work.  You are free to do whatever painting you like.

On Friday, January 22nd, 2005, I was invited to join along with Shirley Captain and Joan Hudson, of the Mille Isles Historical Society,  for a luncheon with this "hard-at-work" group of Decorative Painters, which has been going on 3 years now.  The luncheon was delectable.  It was a lovely array of home-made dishes (and deserts) prepared by the members of the group.  They even have great coffee, compliments of Brûlerie des Monts (Owners Elizabeth and Howard live in Mille Isle, Elizabeth is Ann Cochran's daughter).

I came a bit earlier to see what they do.  Found out that they are working so well that I would have a lot to learn from them.  They have decided to all do the same design (shown above).  Later on Shirley Captain and Joan Hudson displayed large albums containing copies of photographs of Mille Isle's yester year, as well as many photographs that they took last summer of many homesteads and lovely corners of Mille Isles.  We took copies of these photos to paint for a display planned for the 150th Anniversary Summer activities.  The ladies chose photos of their own family homes or past establishments of the village.  I chose a few (shown below).

The Mille Isles Decorative Painters that I met are:  Ann Cochran, Judy Kenton, Donna Ward, Debbie (Ward) Davis, May Chesney.  Other members: Nancy Rowe and Sharon Dawson were not there this time.  Another lady, Ellie Holland joined later, and I found out that there is a MONDAY group (including Joan Hudson) who meet at the same location, each Monday at 1 p.m. to do knitting, crochet or any other crafts.  This group is also open for new members.  Thank you so much for inviting me ! 

I did include the information in my February 2005 ARTS Etc. column in Main Street.

Colours and dimensions artwork may be slightly different from the original.