Mary Frances Pratt

Notes:

signed, titled & dated

Mary Pratt was born Mary Frances West in Fredericton, New Brunswick, where she grew up living what she has described as an “idyllic” childhood. Her artistic abilities were evident early on, and Pratt herself vividly describes early memories where she observed the play of light and colour in everyday objects. It followed, that she enrolled in the Fine Art program at Mount Allison University. She studied under such eminent artists as Alex Colville, Lawren Harris and Ted Pulford. It was here that she met artist Christopher Pratt, then a pre-med student. They soon married, and she moved with him to Glasgow, where Christopher attended the Glasgow School of Art. Mary had also hoped to enroll in the program, but was denied admission, as she was pregnant at the time and the school administration thought it inappropriate for her to study in that “condition”.

After returning to Canada two years later, Mary completed her BFA, while juggling her responsibilities as a mother. The young family soon moved to a cottage in rural Newfoundland and Labrador. During these early years, Pratt put her career on hold to raise four young children, run a household, and allow Christopher Pratt to focus on his artistic career. When she began to paint again, Mary turned to the domestic images around her: dinner tables, dishes, meat, fruit, and vegetables; what she later described as “the stuff of life, the stuff that everyone touches every day, the stuff that a woman understands.” Ultimately, the need for practicality and multi-tasking played a role: she painted anywhere in the house, using a small easel on a rolling table and working quickly. Mary Pratt had her first solo exhibition in 1967, at the Memorial University of Newfoundland. At her husband’s suggestion, she began to use photography as a means of capturing and recording the transient effects of light and colour. The first painting she produced from a colour slide was “Supper Table” (1969) and it would become one of the most significant paintings of her career. Initially plagued by self-doubt (and external criticism) Pratt persisted, and has gone on to gain numerous exhibitions, awards and accolades for her artistic contributions in a style that not only embraces, but transcends photo-realism.

Literature: “Mary Pratt” (Cronin et al., Goose Lane Editions; 2013); “A Personal Calligraphy” (Pratt, Goose Lane Edtions; 2000); “Women Between” (Reid, University of Calgary Press, 2008)

Notes:

signed and dated lower right

Provenance: Douglas Udell Gallery, Edmonton AB (label verso)

Mary Pratt was a renowned Canadian photorealist painter, celebrated for her captivating, light-filled scenes of everyday domesticity. From a young age, Pratt was fascinated by the interplay of light and color, and her supportive parents encouraged her to explore her artistic talents. By the age of 18, she had enrolled at Mount Allison University to study art under the guidance of esteemed instructors Alex Colville and Lawren P. Harris. Although it wasn’t until the 1970s that Pratt gained recognition for her art, Pratt always continued to make work – finding any time she could as a young mother and housewife to paint.

Beginning in the 1960s, Pratt based her paintings on photographs taken by herself or her then-husband, Christopher Pratt. While initially, she was hesitant to use photographs as references, the use of slides allowed her to capture fleeting moments of light. As she noted, “the light wouldn’t stand still long enough for me to catch it.” (1) In the 80s and 90s, Pratt expanded her practice to incorporate pastels, colored chalk, and watercolors, enabling her to create larger-scale works while also adopting a more comfortable and sustainable artistic process as she aged.

Amaryllis Flower with Two Stone Birds is a quintessential Mary Pratt interior still life. Two stone birds stand sentinel behind the illuminated amaryllis flower, resting gently in a glass dish filled with water. Light pours in from the right side of the picture plane, illuminating the scene with an ethereal glow, highlighting the vibrant orange petals of the amaryllis centerpiece.

1. Sandra Gryn and Gerta Moray, Mary Pratt, 1989, p. 12

Notes:

signed, titled & dated in pencil; stamped with a blind stamp

Notes:

signed & dated
Provenance: Equinox Gallery, Vancouver

Notes:

signed & dated lower right