Chevalier Painting

12" x 12" x 0.75" Original acrylic painting on stretched canvas.

Artwork completed October, 2024.

Artistic statement about this piece:

While painting at Galerie Cava, I decided to title this piece Chevalier (or cavailler) which means Knight. I have been learning to speak French for the past few years, as it is part of my French Canadian heritage. A historical ode to perhaps a once distant knight of France that made their way to Edmonton, Alberta. 

The narrative of this painting explores the ridiculousness of a fully armoured knight riding a miniature pony. I enjoy depicting this kind of humour in my expressive animal series as a way to really engage people, and help us navigate complex feelings. I hope to convey how it silly it can seem to armour oneself, and put up walls to our own vulnerability. We might want to appear strong and stoic, but we end up looking the fool in the end.

I have also been inspired by renaissance artworks depicting knights on mighty steeds, building off that historical narrative for modern audiences. I aimed to paint in the same level of detail as you could find in a museum, to help convey the validity of the painting itself.

We can take humour seriously, as it has an important role to play. It helps us see more honestly how ridiculous being human can be, and builds compassion for ourselves and others.

Materials:

Acrylic paint (Golden heavy body acrylic).

Stretched canvas (7 oz 100% cotton canvas, double-primed with gesso. Kiln dried 0.75 inch thick stretcher bars made of solid birch wood. Back stapled. Hanging hardware on back with d-ring and wrapped steel wire.)

Archival materials, in order of application: Gotrick canvas, Golden acrylic paint, Liquitex isolation coat, Gamblin Gamvar satin varnish.

This artwork was included in the following exhibitions:

Kingston Square Foot Show
Oct 18 - 20, 2024
Tett Gallery, 370 King St W, Kingston, ON

Kaleido Family Arts Festival Gallery Exhibition
Sept 13 - 15, 2024
Nina Haggerty Stollery Gallery, Edmonton AB

Joy: 37th Annual Members’ Exhibition
June 27 - July 12, 2025
Harcourt House, Edmonton AB

"How Do You Feel" Feature Artist Exhibit
March 1 - April 27, 2025
Loft Gallery, Sherwood Park AB

Art Gallery of St. Albert, St. Albert AB
March 2026 - Present