When life gives you lemons, draw them, 11 x 14 inches dry pastels, graphite on paper

"When life gives you lemons, draw them." (Nikki)

"Color! What a deep and mysterious language." (Paul Gauguin)

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Monte

Monday, February 23rd, 2026

 

Monte in How's The Weather animated video, by Adrian Coulombe, featuring Paul Coulombe
My oldest son created a fun new children’s video featuring our grandson Paul’s voice, called How’s the Weather? (watch Monte Studios link) If I could choose a voice for Monte, it would be this one! 5-year-old Paul’s Mandarin accent gives Monte such personality. Apparently when they were dubbing the audio for the final scene, Paul was very concerned that, “Baba (daddy), the ice cream is melting!”, so Adrian left that part in without translation. Very cute!

Who is Monte?

 

Creative Minds 2025

Friday, September 5th, 2025

 

Chrysanthemums Chair, 29H x 29W x 29D inches refurbished vintage chair, woven canvas strips, layers of plaster cured, sanded and carved. Painted with acrylics, varathane, and waxed to enhance colors.
Creative Minds 2025 - Nikki Coulombe - Poster Chrysanthemums Chair showcased in Biafarin / Exhibizone’s ‘Creative Minds’ showing online Sept. 6th – Nov. 6th, 2025

See more info about the chairs, upcycled from 1960’s plastic lawn chairs – blog posts detail work in progress on Sept 10th, 2015, Sept. 29th, Oct. 18th, and finished on Jan. 14th 2016. The chair is carved and painted underneath also.

Thumbnails of drawing, painting, adding plaster petals, carving and sanding layers, then repeating the process:

  Chrysanthemums Chair, initial sketch on plaster, detail Chrysanthemums Chair front detail, paint outline Chrysanthemums Chair detail of additional plaster petals  
  Chrysanthemums Chair front sanding after 1st paint Oct. 2015 Chrysanthemums Chair back, layering more plaster Chrysanthemums Chair finished, back detail  

Buddha Park, Laos

Monday, October 21st, 2024

 

Buddha Park 01, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Oct.1st: Buddha Park 01, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper.

Right detail of Buddha Park 01, soft pastels on paper25 km from Vientiane, Laos, Buddha Park displays over 200 large, reinforced concrete statues based on integrating stories from Hindu and Buddhist mythology, created by Luangpu Bunluea Surirat and his apprentices, started in 1958. This is the first of many representations I have planned. I was there in 2016 and took so many photos, intending to do a series of drawings much sooner than today, but couldn’t decide where to start because there are so many interesting pieces and points of view.

Though the sculptures at first seem crudely done – for how easy can it be to manipulate concrete? – the artists have carefully rendered the grace of hands in prayer and portrayed such character in mythological gods, animals, demons, and combinations of all the above. Discovering cows grazing in the neighboring meadow as part of the setting in the far end of the park, it’s a place where the sum of its parts is so fantastic, that to dissect it in any portrayal will not do it justice. Better for you to read this link to all the information about this remarkable human achievement, than for me to only show you snippets of my impressions or try to describe it in words.

 

Buddha Park 02, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Oct. 4th: Buddha Park 02, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

 

Buddha Park 03, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Oct. 8th: Buddha Park 03 – Vishnu as Narayana with Lakshmi and Sheshanaga, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

In the simplest of terms and with limited understanding, here’s my guess at what this group represents:  Vishnu with weapon and symbolic items missing, in the form of Narayana (“He who lies in the waters”), is seen lounging beside Lakshmi, his female counterpart. He is mounted on Sheshanaga, a many-headed serpentine demi-god, said to exist before the creation of the universe and will remain after its destruction.

In the complex belief system of Hinduism, literature regards gods, demi-gods and goddesses assuming many forms, with different names and aspects that change with each incarnation. The broad concepts and multi-layered symbolism are only learned by lifelong (or many lives of) awareness, devotion and practice.  Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are 3 aspects of the One Supreme Being, and are principal deities who create, protect and transform the universe.

 

Vishnu as Varaha - Buddha Park 04, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper
Oct 10th: Vishnu as Varaha – Buddha Park 04, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

 

Durga, Hindu Goddess of War and Strength, 18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper

Oct 16th, Buddha Park 05: My best guess is that this is Durga, Hindu Goddess of war and strength, protective mother of the universe, eternally struggling with forces of good against evil. She is usually depicted riding a lion or tiger, with between eight and eighteen hands holding the various weapons and objects that are highly symbolic of her purpose.

18H x 24W inches soft pastels on paper. Work process:

 

Oct. 21st: Buddha Park 06, Airavata, Hindu elephant deity or also known in Thailand as Erawan with Indra. Work in progress:

             
  Buddha Park 06, phase 01 - Airavata, Hindu elephant deity or Thai: Erawan with Indra   Buddha Park 06, phase 02 - Airavata, Hindu elephant deity or Thai: Erawan with Indra   Buddha Park 06, phase 03 - Airavata, Hindu elephant deity or Thai: Erawan with Indra  
  Phase 01   Phase 02   Phase 03  
             

More Postcards

Sunday, October 15th, 2023

 

Nimkish Lake Alder Shadows, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper

Alder Shadows, Nimkish Lake Sunset, Stellar’s Jay, Bigleaf Maple (Port Renfrew), Creyke Point, and Mount Douglas (Victoria), 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper

  Nimkish Lake Sunset, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper   Nimkish Lake Stellars Jay, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper  
  Port Renfrew Bigleaf Maple, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper   Creyke Point, Vancouver Island BC, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper  
         


Mount Douglas, Victoria BC, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper

More Postcards

Friday, October 13th, 2023

 

Rusty train car from logging, Nimkish Lake, BC - 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper
Rusty Train Car from logging in Nimkish Lake, Tree Silhouettes in Sidney, Seagulls on a Campbell River beach, and Thunderbird Park Totem in Victoria BC, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper

  Tree Silhouettes, Sidney BC, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper   Seagulls, Campbell River shore, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper  
         

 

Thunderbird Park Totem, Victoria BC, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper

More Postcards

Wednesday, October 11th, 2023

 

Dungeness Crab, Qualicum Beach, BC - 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper
Dungeness Crab, Qualicum Beach, Queen Anne’s Lace at Bexley Bay, New Growth, and Bumble Bee on Birds-foot Trefoil, today’s additions to the 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper series.

  Queen Anne's Lace at Bexley Bay, Vancouver Island, BC - 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper   New Growth, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper  
         

Bumble Bee on Birds-foot Trefoil, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper
 

Postcards From The Island

Tuesday, October 10th, 2023

 

Elk Falls Autumn Forest 06, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper

While on holiday here in Campbell River BC, I found a set of 24 watercolor pencils in a second-hand shop for only $2, and a pack of 4 x 6″ watercolor paper postcards for only 50 cents. During the next week (only while I’m here) I plan to paint small sketch-series of local sights.

  Elk Falls Provincial Park, BC - Autumn Forest 01   Elk Falls Provincial Park, BC - Autumn Forest 02  
  Elk Falls Provincial Park, BC - Autumn Forest 03, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper.   Beach Rocks, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper  
  Elk Falls Autumn Forest 09, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper   Autumn Forest 04, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper  
  Elk Falls Autumn Forest 07, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper   Elk Falls Autumn Forest 08, 4H x 6W inches watercolor pencils on paper  
         

Creative Minds 2023

Tuesday, August 15th, 2023

 

Cycad Leaf Fossil Chair, Homage to the history of Earth, 29 x 29 x 29 inches, refurbished vintage chair, woven canvas strips, plaster cured, sanded, carved, extinct Myalina fossils, acrylics, varnish, waxed. Functional, durable.

Cycad Leaf Fossil Chair, homage to the history of Earth, 29H x 29W x 29D inches up-cycled plastic vintage chair base, woven canvas strips, layers of plaster gradually cured, sanded and carved. Painted with acrylics, finished with varnish, and waxed to enhance colors. Functional art, very comfortable, durable.  Now being showcased at Creative Minds – 2023 exhibition, August 15 – Oct. 15, organized by Exhibizone and powered by @Biafarin platform.

       
  Starting to carve front right detail of Fossil Chair Cycad Fossil Chair, first paint application after first carved surface Fossil Chair, Homage to Earth and Trees, carved front left detail
  Fossil Chair, carved front right detail Fossilized Myalina shells and stones, back details of Fossil Chair Back details of Fossil Chair, fossilized shells and stones, painted patterns of Paleozoic Lepidodendron - first trees on Earth - bark with leaf scars
    Myalina Fossils I found in Dallas, Texas USA Encyclopedia Brittanica entry about the extinct Myalina fossil

Creative Minds 2023 Exhibizone - Biafarin certificateThe front of this chair is a rendition of the fossil of a Cycad leaf from the first species of palm-like trees that grew about 50 million years ago. The original Cycad leaf fossil was discovered in a Wyoming riverbed. The circumference on the back of this chair has an informal mosaic embedded with pebbles and authentic fossils of an extinct clam I found in a playground in the Dallas, Texas area.  The extinct genus of shells called Myalina are estimated to be 345 – 225 – million years old.
Completing the back of the chair, the surface is textured along with patterns of the bark and leaf scars of a fossilized Paleozoic Lepidodendron, a primitive species of the very first trees on earth, reaching heights of 130 feet (40 m) tall, with leaves that grew flat directly along the bark around 400 million years ago.

Portrait exhibition

Sunday, July 17th, 2022

 
Adam, 11H x 14W inches graphite on paper - 2007
Artist Space Portraits Exhibition 2022 certificate for Adam graphiteAdam, (my youngest son at 3 years old, drawn in 2007) 11H x 14W inches graphite on paper.

Showing online now in the Artist Space Gallery ‘Portraits’ exhibition.

Fins, Feathers and Fur 2020: Cockatiels

Friday, July 17th, 2020

 

Cockatiels, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore 12H x 9W inches graphite on paper, white double mat and white 18H x 15W inches frame with crackle finish

Cockatiels, Jurong Bird Park, Singapore 12H x 9W inches graphite on paper, white double mat and white 18H x 15W inches frame with crackle finish. Check out the Jurong Bird Park website.

Showcased in the J. Mane Gallery’s Fins, Feathers and Fur 2020 exhibition.

 

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