I was delighted to read about Mary Pratt, one of our Canadian treasures. Her paintings really speak to me, and I was so pleased to come across a beautiful self portrait in Hamilton when I was last there. Apparently, these are quite rare
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I found Mary's story very sad. And very much a tale of the times. "At Mount Allison University, her teacher Lawren Harris Jr. informed her that there could only be one artist in a marriage, and she was not it. When she travelled to Glasgow School of Art with her husband, Christopher Pratt, she was denied enrolment due to her pregnancy, whereas he was admitted." How typical. She painted household objects and food because that's what she had as her subjects. The eggs were painted after making breakfast for her 4 children and husband.
And here is Mary Pratt's most beautiful painting that captured my heart. How gorgeous, how glorious. A triumph of eggs.
How amazing to have found this picture to interpret . I did not see it in any of my searches . Her ability to make the extraordinary from the ordinary is highlighted here Your fabric interpretation is so clever and I wondered how you got the eggs to look so realistic . Did you paint them after appliqueing them?
ReplyDeleteActually no, I didn’t paint the eggs, except in one instance where the white of the shell had absorbed some of the paint from the batting, accidentally. Oops, I was too impatient. The eggs are just pieces of fabric. I had worked with painted batting years ago when I used it to create the pith of an orange in a large piece I created with Marion Perrault. I don’t think I can insert it here but it’s on my website under Collaborations.
DeleteFunny Rosemary, those eggs came up first when I googled her.
ReplyDeleteHelena, you have done this fantastic woman justice with this quilt, would love to see it one day.
The painted cotton batting has worked perfectly. The effect is so real. Well done. Love the snippet of her life's journey as it explains all.
ReplyDeleteHelena, Mary's work certainly inspired you to produce a really amazing piece of work and as Mai-Britt has said you have certainly done this artist justice. I learn something every time I see all the work we do as I would never have thought to paint cotton batting to get the effect that you did in this instance.
ReplyDeleteThe cotton batting gives the perfect texture for the egg box. This is a good interpretation of her paintings.
ReplyDeleteVery clever! I wouldn't have thought of painting batting but it is perfect for the egg box. Isn't it wonderful when inspiration drops into your head and you can race ahead. I love the way you had to 'sacrifice' some eggs to get the essence of the mundane act of making breakfast for her family. Special piece! Hilary
ReplyDeleteI hadn't seen the egg carton painting either, but you've done it beautifully Helena.
ReplyDeleteI too have not come across this piece by Mary Pratt - so I'm so glad that you did; I absolutely love your interpretation of her eggs. Your very clever use of the materials we so often use has resulted in a superb piece that that captures the texture and colours of 'eggs' so well. Inspired!
ReplyDeleteVery clever interpretation of such a mundane/everyday object Helena. And as the others have said, using painted batting for the eggbox, certainly worked perfectly, Very effectively and simply done.
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