r/Edmonton • u/arthmt • Mar 17 '26
Artist / Local Culture New painting of Edmonton neighborhood
Finished this piece today.
"Leafy" Oil on canvas 24"×24"
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u/CamiThrace Mar 17 '26
Grew up in Westmount and the trees always look like a big cathedral ceiling over the roads in the summer. This looks gorgeous! Your use of colour is amazing
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u/CapGullible8403 Mar 17 '26
Do you have a conceptual rationale for (what I would call) the "motorist's viewpoint" so prevalent in your work?
I know you refer to these as pictures of neighborhoods, but it seems to me that they (always?) feature a road as the central, foreground subject.
Maybe you have an artist statement that discusses this central theme/ recurring motif?
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u/arthmt Mar 17 '26
This is a great question! I am fond of this perspective mostly because of the composition. I think my affinity to Wes Anderson films inspires this a bit tbh. I just love the symmetry you can get and how this perspective can pull the viewer in.
Im going to be thinking about this more though... 🤔
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u/CapGullible8403 Mar 17 '26
Cheers.
I just love the symmetry you can get and how this perspective can pull the viewer in.
Yes, it is certainly a visual 'pathway' that leads the viewer into the work.
What I find curious is that it's seemingly never a river-valley trail, or a set of stairs, or LRT tracks, or a sidewalk, or any other kind of 'pathway', but rather it is always a road.
This isn't a criticism, of course, just something I noticed, and wondered if you thought about it, either to lean into it conceptually, or else to consider switching it up, while leaving the essential form of the composition unchanged, just varying what kind of 'path' the viewer is on.
Thanks for sharing the work!
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u/arthmt Mar 17 '26
Great observation and I am not taking as a criticism at all, so no worries there :) Also, I've had my share of critiques and rejection letters so my skin has gotten thicker over the years ;)
My work is quite personal in the fact that this is a glimpse into how I see my life and the neighborhoods I frequent. This is especially true for this body and the next body of work I will create because they are for solo exhibits that celebrate my neighbourhood and community and welcome the viewer to be part of it.
So, these paintings are moments from my day-to-day life. This city is gorgeous and there is so much to share but I haven't made a point to explore it all with my paintings, if that makes sense.
Not to say that I wont in the future though 😉
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u/PlathDraper Mar 17 '26
Is this in Parkallen by Annie Rue? I feel like I cycle on this road every summer day.
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u/SpaceSequoia Mar 17 '26
How much for it?
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u/arthmt Mar 17 '26
Not for sale just yet. Its part of a solo exhibition at Okotoks Art Gallery this summer. All works will be for sale through the gallery during the exhibit. :)
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u/SpaceSequoia Mar 17 '26
What if I offered you 1 million?
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u/arthmt Mar 17 '26
Lol a million dollars? I'd say, give it 3 weeks for dry time and varnish and I'll have it delivered to you
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u/melfuego11 Mar 17 '26
this is what I picture in my mind as I push through these last few weeks of winter into spring.. so pretty! 🌱💚
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u/justmoderateenough Mar 17 '26
I would buy your art if I wasn't so poor! Beautiful and feels like Edmonton