Emily Carr
Tom Thomson
|
Doris Gravlin
Matthew Ballie Begbie
|
May Gallagher
"Haunted Canada : Echoes of the Past"
My watercolor paintings explore the haunting presence of historical figures whose lives
shaped Canada’s cultural landscape. Using a blurred, photographic style, I depict portraits of
Doris Gravlin, Emily Carr, Matthew Baillie Begbie, Mary Gallagher, and Tom Thomson. The
fluid nature of watercolor allows me to create ethereal, almost ghostly representations of these
individuals.
These figures are not static icons but living ghosts, whose legacies resonate in the
collective consciousness of Canadians. The blurred quality of the portraits reflects how time
distorts and fades memory, capturing the transient nature of both history and their ghostly
identities. The pigment, bleeding across the paper, symbolizes the way the past seeps into the
present, leaving traces of those who came before.
Through this series, I seek to provoke a dialogue about the way we remember and honor
the past. These portraits serve as a reminder that while the details of history may blur over time,
the presence of these figures continues to shape our understanding of Canada.
My watercolor paintings explore the haunting presence of historical figures whose lives
shaped Canada’s cultural landscape. Using a blurred, photographic style, I depict portraits of
Doris Gravlin, Emily Carr, Matthew Baillie Begbie, Mary Gallagher, and Tom Thomson. The
fluid nature of watercolor allows me to create ethereal, almost ghostly representations of these
individuals.
These figures are not static icons but living ghosts, whose legacies resonate in the
collective consciousness of Canadians. The blurred quality of the portraits reflects how time
distorts and fades memory, capturing the transient nature of both history and their ghostly
identities. The pigment, bleeding across the paper, symbolizes the way the past seeps into the
present, leaving traces of those who came before.
Through this series, I seek to provoke a dialogue about the way we remember and honor
the past. These portraits serve as a reminder that while the details of history may blur over time,
the presence of these figures continues to shape our understanding of Canada.
