Emily Pittman – Due Diligence

Christina Parker Gallery is pleased to announce DUE DILIGENCE an exhibition of new paintings by Emily Pittman. The exhibition opens to the public during regular gallery hours on July 8^th and continues until July 31.

Komatik Press has published number three in their series of artists books titled Someday Homes Fill My Dreams, which follows the artwork and poetry of Emily Pittman. In honour of Pittman’s exhibition of new work, Komatik Press is releasing a Limited Edition of 25 books in advance of the official launch in September. Emily will be present in the gallery on Thursday July 8^th, between 4:30 and 6:30 to greet the public and to sign copies of the book.

“My current work is a study of the impact of colour and architecture on the creation of the Newfoundland identity, as well as an exploration of the form and function of Newfoundland houses, and their construction of community.”

With an international stay at home order that shaped the past year and a half, suddenly the most impactful thing we could collectively do was remain in our own houses. This time in quarantine has caused many of us to meditate on our homes, and how they could be brought closer to our vision of an ideal dwelling (is it any surprise that hardware stores have thrived despite the required lockdowns?). The questions we asked as a global community reflected my contemplation while making this work: What makes a home a dream home? What makes a desirable place to live (and stay) in? How do aesthetic treatments, like a fresh coat of house paint, impact our appreciation of our homes? Does our home (and in this case, staying inside our home) affect our ability to connect with a larger community? This exhibition is an engaging exploration of these questions during this period of due diligence.

In the resulting body of work, What A View, these concepts are integrated and compounded in the intensity of our shared experience. This series pushes the ideals that fabricate a desirable dwelling or a dream home, drawing inspiration from our ocean-wrapped island province. These works use gradient as a primary tool in the portrayal of landscape: a house on the water depicts abstracted forms on a gradient wash of blues, and a house facing west is drenched in sunset oranges and blushing pinks. The resulting compositions divulge the unique ability that colour has to transform idyllic architectural structures into thoughtful and compelling homes.

Emily Pittman is a visual artist and writer based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. She earned an Honours BA (with Distinction), majoring in Studio Art and English from the University of Guelph. She is an instructor in the Art & Design Essentials program with the College of the North Atlantic. She was a finalist for Arts NL’s 2019 Emerging Artist Award and has exhibited at venues including The Rooms Provincial Art Gallery in St. John’s, The Confederation Centre for the Arts in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Eastern Edge Gallery in St. John’s, and the Boarding House Gallery in Guelph, Ontario. She has been featured on the cover of Visual Arts News, as wall as in Riddle Fence, The Overcast, and The St. John’s Telegram. Emily is a co-founder of The Gathered Gallery, a facilitator for emerging and mid-career artists to connect and gain practical skills and knowledge.

Download the Visual Catalogue

Download Emily’s CV

The gallery will be open to visitors during regular hours and we ask that guests maintain social distancing protocols, wear a mask inside the gallery, and sign the contact tracing form.

Gallery hours are 11-5pm Tuesday through Saturday.