Emily (Young Emily Carr I)

This painting takes on the aura of a chance meeting in the woods. Emily Carr mounted on her horse gazes out at the viewer through the forms and colours that surround her. The image has an atmosphere quality. I Have intentionally avoided any forms that directly illustrate shapes the artist would have used. I have attempted instead to create a spiritual environment – something that perhaps only she experienced. A young Emily Car with her monkey Woo – the translation of this source image into painting, and in particular one of life scale, conjured up for me images of the paintings by Goya or Van Eyck. Perhaps a moment in time though not written about or drawn or painted by her. They are in my domaine but they are hers because I feel them to be.
The Physicality of the painting happened by both intention and accidental happenstance. For instance the resulting fracture in the upper right hand corner occurred after the painting had been placed upright and dripped down in the night. The next morning, having discovered this development, decided in reflection I liked the idea of the painting painting itslf.