Mary Pratt

by Mireille Eagan (Editor), Mireille Eagan, Sarah Fillmore

Regarded as one of Canada's finest still life realist artists, Mary Pratt's luminescent paintings form the visual focus of Goose Lane Edition's Mary Pratt , a career retrospective that examines every aspect of this unique artist's creative journey. Featuring seventy-four full colour reproductions of Pratt's most renowned works and a complete chronology of her career, including an selected list of her solo and group exhibitions, the book is augmented with a series of essays by five acclaimed art critics, curators and essayists. In "Look, Here", Mireille Eagan deftly dissects Pratt's craft by examining the relationship between location, subject and technique in her work. Sarah Fillmore's "Vanitas" visits the artist at home, giving a firsthand account of how the simple pleasures found in the family kitchen served as the inspiration for some of Pratt's most revered pieces. "A Woman's Life" by Sarah Milroy is a detailed discovery of how the women in Pratt's past defined her presence, and informed her future. Catharine M. Mastin studies the artist as a young woman in "Base, Place, Location and the Early Paintings", which traces the roots of her creative identity from the streets of Fredericton, New Brunswick to the shores of the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland. In "Bedevilling the Real", Ray Cronin argues that Pratt's evocative illusions defy characterization and redefine the relationship between realism and representation. Mary Pratt is published by Goose Lane Editions in conjunction with an exhibition of her art, organized by The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia.

Genres: Art

160 pages, Hardcover

First published May 7, 2013

About the author

Mireille Eagan is Curator of Canadian Art at The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery, St. John’s, a position she has held since January 2010. Prior to this, she was Curator at the Confederation Centre Art Gallery in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. Eagan has lectured nationally on Canadian art and has published several catalogues and essays on Canadian artists.

Reviews

[Mikey B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jelly Shelf, 1999




The Bed, 1968



I was impressed by Canadian artist Mary Pratt during a recent visit to the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. Her realism, her portraiture of everyday objects is something to behold.



Hollowed Eggs for Easter, 1983




Eggs in an Egg Crate, 1975


An interesting observation from one of the articles in the book is that she was born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, but when she married she moved to a remote area of Newfoundland near St. Catherine’s, on the Salmonier River, about one hour out of St. John’s. This would be quite a contrast to Fredericton. It was pointed out that her paintings reflect this dichotomy of rural remote (think hunting and fishing) to the more comfortable paintings of sedate Fredericton.



Another Province of Canada, 1978



Fredericton (Waterloo Row), 1972


Interestingly her husband at the time, artist Christopher Pratt, (Mary Pratt has now re-married) took slide pictures for her to use when she was painting. The slides froze the moment and captured well the lighting that she transposed so well in her paintings.




Donna with Powder Puff, 1986




Child with Two Adults, 1983




This book has many of her wonderful paintings and the text, written by several authors, gives us a background of the author and her paintings.



The Supper Table, 1969
This was a transitional painting for Mary Pratt - and she has kept it

[Ramona Jennex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Mary Pratt's work and I adore this book.
I continue to open this book often and gaze at the amazing images she created.
I love that this book was created while she was very much a part of the process.
Mary Pratt- March 15, 1935- August 14, 2018

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Mary's images

[Wendell Hennan · Rating 3 out of 5]

created to accompany the five museum travelling exhibit of her work, the curators discuss her art with in depth and sometimes paralysing analysis. The argument of realism versus abstract is discussed in detail and two sections deal with conversations with Mary about her life and a chronological listing of highlights. A lovely recap of the travelling exhibit of her work for those who are not able to view in person.

[Luise · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great retrospective on this iconic Canadian painter of luminous works.