We continue our collaboration with Speaking of Art, an art education initiative seeking to foster greater appreciation of and knowledge about art, with another feature about a Canadian artist. They have kindly agreed to share occasional pieces about Canadian art with us – be sure to follow them on Facebook to learn more about artists from around the world!
Today we feature leading Canadian artist Alex Colville with two of his works painted 28 years apart: “Moon and Cow” (1963) and “Dog and Groom” (1991). A figurative painter, Colville was influenced, among others, by American artists Edward Hopper and George Tooker. His precisely executed, realistic paintings of seemingly mundane moments and subjects frequently belie a psychological undercurrent.
Animals figure prominently in many of his paintings, often gazing directly at the viewer and overshadowing humans who are otherwise engaged. Colville viewed animals as innocent and incapable of evil — unless trained so by humans — and stated, “My admiration for animals is unconditional.” Prior to passing away in 2013, he reflected that he wouldn’t mind being reincarnated as a dog.
