NOVEL COMPANIONS
A visual celebration of our enduring bond with dogs through fresh portrayals of canine characters, to show how literature can shape our appreciation of this reciprocal relationship.
Solo exhibition March 2 - 25, 2023, The Lyceum Gallery, 969 Queen Street West, Toronto
Apollo | from The Friend by Sigrid Nunez | acrylic on birch cradle 24” x 30”
Apollo, an unexpected guest, becomes the subject of affection and a creative muse. Being read to helps to soothe Apollo’s anxiety.
These paintings explore the vital role dogs play in our lives, the many ways they provide solace and companionship, protect us, connect us with nature, and teach us about patience and mutual respect. The detailed imagery invites the viewer to take a closer look, to challenge our perception of these canine archetypes, by reframing the familiar with fresh perspectives, where the dog is the subject and not an object.
Argus | acrylic on birch cradle 24” x 24”
Argus waits for Odysseus to return (demonstrating loyalty). Odysseus is re-imagined as an astronaut exploring space.
Majnoun | from Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis | acrylic on birch cradle 20” x 20”
Majnoun and Nira in conversation. Majnoun learns to trust Nira, and she learns to commune with him.
This series explores narratives that emerge from the convergence of representation and fabrication, where the natural and the artificial meet to convey new meaning. The visual approach is a synthesis of the formal qualities of 18th & 19th centuries dog portraiture with contemporary imagery. The acrylic paintings are created through a process of building multiple layers of semi-opaque pigments over a thin underpainting, then layered further with glazes, to achieve rich luminous colours and detail.
Flush | from Flush by Virginia Woolf | acrylic on birch cradle 22” x 30”
Dogs help to ground us and connect us to nature. They create a bridge between our synthetic domestic life and the natural world.
The concept of this series was conceived through my interest in deciphering the nuanced and complex codes of connecting and communicating with another species. The work was inspired by a black poodle cross named Betty who came into our lives by chance. Betty was an intelligent high-spirited dog who taught me to be patient, to keenly observe and pay attention to her cues and those of other dogs around us, and to discover the rewards of connecting with another species.
Nana | from Peter Pan by J.M Barrie | acrylic on birch cradle 20” x 20”
Nana is the Darling children’s guardian, providing solace and comfort.
Toto | from The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum | acrylic on birch cradle 20” x 20”
Dorothy is reimagined as a lost runaway, Toto acts as her protector and guide.
My goal is to transcend mere pictorial representation of a dog, by infusing each character with soulful expression, to convey the dog’s spirit, and to highlight the nature of the human/canine relationship gleaned from the story.
White Fang | from White Fang by Jack London | acrylic on birch cradle 20” x 20”
White Fang teaches us about respecting the wild nature in dogs (shown in his coat). Here I depict White Fang responding to the cruelty of forced dog fighting.
Mutt | from The Dog Who Wouldn’t Be by Farley Mowat | acrylic on birch cradle 20” x 20”
Mutt is the embodiment of a dog who cannot be restrained by rules. He provides much joy to his companions.
My intent with this body of work is to create imagery that feels both familiar and new, to revisit old stories and to explore contemporary ones, as a tribute to our enduring love of dogs, both real and fictional.
“Each perhaps completed what was dormant in the other” Diptych 8” x 10” acrylic on birch cradle with walnut stained ash frame
Available graphite and watercolour studies.
