Christopher Pratt: All My Own Work by Josee Drouin-Brisebois & Jeffrey Spalding

Christopher Pratt is a Newfoundland icon, with family roots in the island extending back for hundreds of years, and a deep and abiding sense of his identity as a Newfoundlander. More importantly, he is one of a handful of recognized artists who have defined their homeland in the eyes of the world. His work is based almost entirely on memory, with ideas that may take weeks or months or even years to evolve, yet are honed with delicate precision into unforgettable visions of a land and its human artifacts.

Based upon a major exhibition of recent work opening in Canada's National Gallery in late 2005 to honour his 70th birthday, this book presents Pratt's sublimely modulated paintings from the past twenty years, with important early works - including drawings - adding context. The eighty-five superbly reproduced colour images do justice to his flawless technique and his ability to capture the ethereal light so particular to a northern land. These images linger in the imagination - and in memory - long after they have been first encountered.

Josée Drouin-Brisebois's text explores how Pratt interprets the geographical, social, and political landscape of Newfoundland through a personal response to his surroundings, and Jeffrey Spalding's introduction shrewdly reveals the wellsprings and broad impacts of Pratt's recent work. A conversation with the artist and a comprehensive illustrated chronology complete the book.