Library Silkscreens - Canadian Authors
Location: Library
Rationale:
This project began with our Teacher-Librarian, Mr. McCormack, candidly conversing with Mr. Leech and Mr. McMullen about filling the library's wall spaces to provide the setting with some warmth and character. Authors were an obvious and easy choice for subject, but solely Canadian authors were selected as we felt they remained somewhat on the periphery of popular literature despite a proven record of fierce, honest, and direct writing styles that have reached millions of readers across the globe. Each author's work has been celebrated and awarded major accolades both nationally and internationally.
Our choice of authors was difficult as our original list of candidates included more than thirty names of Canadian writers of importance both past and contemporary, all vying for only six canvases. Names like Al Purdy, Margaret Laurence, Tomson Highway, Wayson Choy, Yann Martel, Pierre Berton, Farley Mowat, Ann Marie MacDonald, Carol Shields, and on and on, were unfortunately left out of this project. In the end we selected writers who reflect a diversity in writing style and format and also reflect the diversity evident in our student body. In addition, we chose only those authors whose image worked well in unison with the others in order to maintain the visual integrity of the series. The final six murals pay tribute to novelists, poets, essayists, playwrights, documentary and non-fiction writers, and song-writers with multi-faceted aspects to their work and their personal character.
Mr. Leech and Mr. McMullen decided upon a silk-screening method similar to Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe series. This works well as the reduction of value and a simplification of the picture plane represented by broad shapes and spaces produces a strong graphic effect. The faces are striking and recognizable, yet the viewer's eye must complete the image thus drawing a direct connection between author and audience. While silk-screening was developed as a means of reproducing multiple copies of an image, our modified method of stencils and block-outs cut from wax paper and bristol board are one-of-a-kind and allow for the artist's hand and the process itself to be seen in the work.
Rationale:
This project began with our Teacher-Librarian, Mr. McCormack, candidly conversing with Mr. Leech and Mr. McMullen about filling the library's wall spaces to provide the setting with some warmth and character. Authors were an obvious and easy choice for subject, but solely Canadian authors were selected as we felt they remained somewhat on the periphery of popular literature despite a proven record of fierce, honest, and direct writing styles that have reached millions of readers across the globe. Each author's work has been celebrated and awarded major accolades both nationally and internationally.
Our choice of authors was difficult as our original list of candidates included more than thirty names of Canadian writers of importance both past and contemporary, all vying for only six canvases. Names like Al Purdy, Margaret Laurence, Tomson Highway, Wayson Choy, Yann Martel, Pierre Berton, Farley Mowat, Ann Marie MacDonald, Carol Shields, and on and on, were unfortunately left out of this project. In the end we selected writers who reflect a diversity in writing style and format and also reflect the diversity evident in our student body. In addition, we chose only those authors whose image worked well in unison with the others in order to maintain the visual integrity of the series. The final six murals pay tribute to novelists, poets, essayists, playwrights, documentary and non-fiction writers, and song-writers with multi-faceted aspects to their work and their personal character.
Mr. Leech and Mr. McMullen decided upon a silk-screening method similar to Andy Warhol's Marilyn Monroe series. This works well as the reduction of value and a simplification of the picture plane represented by broad shapes and spaces produces a strong graphic effect. The faces are striking and recognizable, yet the viewer's eye must complete the image thus drawing a direct connection between author and audience. While silk-screening was developed as a means of reproducing multiple copies of an image, our modified method of stencils and block-outs cut from wax paper and bristol board are one-of-a-kind and allow for the artist's hand and the process itself to be seen in the work.
Margaret Atwood
Artist (s): Kristina Trofimova and Subrena Jagdat and Mary Guarrasi
Year completed: 2012
About the author:
Margaret Atwood is truly an unparalleled Canadian writer. Her achievements are many and are great as they include not only national awards such as the Governor General's Award, Order of Ontario, and the Giller Prize, but also international such as the Booker International Prize, the Chicago Tribune Literary Award, and the Orange Prize. She has earned accolades for her novels, essays, and poetry alike, but also for her resolve of character evident in the fact she has been adorned the title of Honourary Degree from no less than two dozen colleges and universities around the world.
Her novels include some of the most memorable, tragic, honest, strong, and colourful women protagonists in our country's collective library. Titles like Alias Grace, Oryx and Crake, The Blind Assassin, and The Handmaid's Tale are just a small sampling of her strength with the written word and are resounding successes. Her nationally acclaimed collection of poems, Circle Game, remains one of the most iconic books of poetry in Canada. Atwood continues to write prolifically and has embraced social media like no other literary giant. Her Twitter account is a platform for political thoughts and inspirational ideas as she influences many local and national politicians and mobilizes the public to engage in their world and communities.
She lives in Toronto.
Click here for a sample of her writing.
Year completed: 2012
About the author:
Margaret Atwood is truly an unparalleled Canadian writer. Her achievements are many and are great as they include not only national awards such as the Governor General's Award, Order of Ontario, and the Giller Prize, but also international such as the Booker International Prize, the Chicago Tribune Literary Award, and the Orange Prize. She has earned accolades for her novels, essays, and poetry alike, but also for her resolve of character evident in the fact she has been adorned the title of Honourary Degree from no less than two dozen colleges and universities around the world.
Her novels include some of the most memorable, tragic, honest, strong, and colourful women protagonists in our country's collective library. Titles like Alias Grace, Oryx and Crake, The Blind Assassin, and The Handmaid's Tale are just a small sampling of her strength with the written word and are resounding successes. Her nationally acclaimed collection of poems, Circle Game, remains one of the most iconic books of poetry in Canada. Atwood continues to write prolifically and has embraced social media like no other literary giant. Her Twitter account is a platform for political thoughts and inspirational ideas as she influences many local and national politicians and mobilizes the public to engage in their world and communities.
She lives in Toronto.
Click here for a sample of her writing.
George Elliott Clarke
Artist (s): Hannah Magpayo and Danielle Scott
Year completed: 2012
About the author:
George Elliott Clarke is not only an immensely important Canadian author, but he is also of critical significance in collecting, fictionalizing, and promoting African literature. He is uniquely Canadian and considers his work to be a part of the 'Africadian' diaspora which is a reflection of his Nova Scotia Acadian and African roots.
Clarke is an Officer of the Order of Canada which he earned as a steward for literature and his commitments to bettering his community and nation. He has been awarded the Governor General's Award for Poetry for his work Execution Poems in which he recounts the true tale of his cousins who were among the last people to be executed by hanging in Canada. His writing is haunting yet whimsical and has the rhythms and cadence of a relentless ocean current. Beatrice Chancy and Whylah Falls are dramatic works that leap from the page alone and are so hard-hitting with lyricism and imagery that they truly do not need the aid of actors to bring the plays to life. His work is powerful and is required reading for anyone interested in our country's history of slavery and its ongoing relationship with people of African origin.
He is currently the E.J. Pratt Professor of Canadian Literature at the University of Toronto.
Click here for a sample of his writing.
Year completed: 2012
About the author:
George Elliott Clarke is not only an immensely important Canadian author, but he is also of critical significance in collecting, fictionalizing, and promoting African literature. He is uniquely Canadian and considers his work to be a part of the 'Africadian' diaspora which is a reflection of his Nova Scotia Acadian and African roots.
Clarke is an Officer of the Order of Canada which he earned as a steward for literature and his commitments to bettering his community and nation. He has been awarded the Governor General's Award for Poetry for his work Execution Poems in which he recounts the true tale of his cousins who were among the last people to be executed by hanging in Canada. His writing is haunting yet whimsical and has the rhythms and cadence of a relentless ocean current. Beatrice Chancy and Whylah Falls are dramatic works that leap from the page alone and are so hard-hitting with lyricism and imagery that they truly do not need the aid of actors to bring the plays to life. His work is powerful and is required reading for anyone interested in our country's history of slavery and its ongoing relationship with people of African origin.
He is currently the E.J. Pratt Professor of Canadian Literature at the University of Toronto.
Click here for a sample of his writing.
Leonard Cohen
Artist (s): Taylor DeMille and Rebecca Wilms
Year completed: 2012
About the author:
Leonard Cohen's achievements speak volumes about his work and his character. Companion of the Order of Canada, Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, Juno Award winning musician, Grammy award winner, Governor General's Award winner, Grand Office of the National Order of Quebec, and Glen Gould Prize winner are merely a sampling of his massive accomplishments.
Leonard burst into Canadian consciousness with his Selected Poems in 1968 and remained an integral part of a select few who continue to shape Canada's sense of cultural identity. His poetry spawned decades worth and volumes full of songs that impress upon the soul and evoke rich imaginings and emotion. His music has been covered by the music industry's heaviest hitters and biggest names. Leonard Cohen is the icon of writing, singing, and emoting love, religion, and beauty in its most pure and raw form. He doesn't shy from truth in emotion, but exploits it and pushes those emotions to the fore of his work.
In keeping with his image of "Renaissance Man", Leonard has recently delved into the art world by producing prints and drawings.
Click here for a sample of his writing.
Year completed: 2012
About the author:
Leonard Cohen's achievements speak volumes about his work and his character. Companion of the Order of Canada, Member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee, Juno Award winning musician, Grammy award winner, Governor General's Award winner, Grand Office of the National Order of Quebec, and Glen Gould Prize winner are merely a sampling of his massive accomplishments.
Leonard burst into Canadian consciousness with his Selected Poems in 1968 and remained an integral part of a select few who continue to shape Canada's sense of cultural identity. His poetry spawned decades worth and volumes full of songs that impress upon the soul and evoke rich imaginings and emotion. His music has been covered by the music industry's heaviest hitters and biggest names. Leonard Cohen is the icon of writing, singing, and emoting love, religion, and beauty in its most pure and raw form. He doesn't shy from truth in emotion, but exploits it and pushes those emotions to the fore of his work.
In keeping with his image of "Renaissance Man", Leonard has recently delved into the art world by producing prints and drawings.
Click here for a sample of his writing.
Dionne Brand
Artist (s): Danielle Scott
Year completed: 2013
About the author:
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Dionne Brand has an all too Canadian story of coming "from away" and persevering through the noise of a new cultural experience to build a successful career in her new home country. Her career was launched with her Governor General's Award for Poetry for her collection Land to Light On. From the beginning of her early writings until today, Brand has a very important voice in advocating for equity in race, gender, and women's rights. These themes play heavily in her poetry and novels (popular titles include, thirsty, At the Full and Change of the Moon, and What We All Long For) as well as in her position as vocal supporter of causes such as the December 6th Montreal Massacre Remembrances and the aboriginal women of Canada.
Outside of her poetry and fiction writing, she has worked for the National Film Board of Canada directing a trilogy of documentaries titled Women at the Well. Her essays, non-fiction, and other pursuits occupy a large part of the critically important voice for the under- or mis-represented. The niche she has created and filled to the brim has received numerous awards including the Griffin Poetry Prize, Pat Lowther Award for poetry, The Los Angeles Times Notable Book, The New York Times Notable Book, and she has been made Fellow of the Academies for Arts, Humanities, and Sciences of Canada.
In 2009, Dionne Brand was appointed Poet Laureate of Toronto.
Click here for a sample of her writing.
Year completed: 2013
About the author:
Born in Trinidad and Tobago, Dionne Brand has an all too Canadian story of coming "from away" and persevering through the noise of a new cultural experience to build a successful career in her new home country. Her career was launched with her Governor General's Award for Poetry for her collection Land to Light On. From the beginning of her early writings until today, Brand has a very important voice in advocating for equity in race, gender, and women's rights. These themes play heavily in her poetry and novels (popular titles include, thirsty, At the Full and Change of the Moon, and What We All Long For) as well as in her position as vocal supporter of causes such as the December 6th Montreal Massacre Remembrances and the aboriginal women of Canada.
Outside of her poetry and fiction writing, she has worked for the National Film Board of Canada directing a trilogy of documentaries titled Women at the Well. Her essays, non-fiction, and other pursuits occupy a large part of the critically important voice for the under- or mis-represented. The niche she has created and filled to the brim has received numerous awards including the Griffin Poetry Prize, Pat Lowther Award for poetry, The Los Angeles Times Notable Book, The New York Times Notable Book, and she has been made Fellow of the Academies for Arts, Humanities, and Sciences of Canada.
In 2009, Dionne Brand was appointed Poet Laureate of Toronto.
Click here for a sample of her writing.
Michael Ondaatje
Artist (s): Hannah Magpayo
Year completed: 2013
About the author:
Michael Ondaatje is perhaps one of the most widely known Canadian authors with immense critical acclaim. He is a multiple Governor General's Award winner, a Canada Reads winner, a Giller Prize winner, a Booker Prize winner, and perhaps most notably, he is the author of The English Patient whose screen adaptation won an Academy Award for the Best Motion Picture.
Ondaatje was born in Sri Lanka and came to Canada via a brief stay in London before finally settling in Ontario. His work seems to be constructed on the back of his personal experiences as his poetry and his novels are richly thick with imagery and deeply vivid characterizations. Exploring themes of multiculturalism and political violence and personal strife all while flirting with the almost impossible and bordering on fantastical.
He has been named an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and Sri Lanka Ratna, the highest honour bestowed upon Sri Lankan foreign nationals.
Ondaatje continues to influence Canadian literature by encouraging young and contemporary writers giving them a platform for their voice as editor of the popular publication Brick, A Literary Journal.
Click here for a sample of his writing.
Year completed: 2013
About the author:
Michael Ondaatje is perhaps one of the most widely known Canadian authors with immense critical acclaim. He is a multiple Governor General's Award winner, a Canada Reads winner, a Giller Prize winner, a Booker Prize winner, and perhaps most notably, he is the author of The English Patient whose screen adaptation won an Academy Award for the Best Motion Picture.
Ondaatje was born in Sri Lanka and came to Canada via a brief stay in London before finally settling in Ontario. His work seems to be constructed on the back of his personal experiences as his poetry and his novels are richly thick with imagery and deeply vivid characterizations. Exploring themes of multiculturalism and political violence and personal strife all while flirting with the almost impossible and bordering on fantastical.
He has been named an Officer of the Order of Canada, a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and Sri Lanka Ratna, the highest honour bestowed upon Sri Lankan foreign nationals.
Ondaatje continues to influence Canadian literature by encouraging young and contemporary writers giving them a platform for their voice as editor of the popular publication Brick, A Literary Journal.
Click here for a sample of his writing.
Mordecai Richler
Artist (s): Danielle Scott and Sara Stewart
Year completed: 2014
About the author:
Perhaps best known for stirring the proverbial pot, Mordecai Richler has earned a spot in the literary canon of our country for his provocative fiction and non-fiction work. His writing often centres upon a controversial figure or moment or stereotype and thrusts the controversy into the reader's forethought. From his novels to his essays and articles as a long time reporter based in Montreal, Richler had a knack for striking a chord and provoking discussion (often heavily heated) on a wide array of subject matter most critical to being Canadian. His topics often included the ghettoizing of Jewish peoples, the language barriers and political follies of French versus English Canada, and the notions of nationalism and separatism. He also showed a complete versatility by penning the Jacob Two-Two series of children's stories which became instant Canadian children's lit classics.
He is unlike some of the other authors featured in our series of silkscreens in that he left the country in order to find his voice as an author rather than arriving here and beginning his career. Several years of out-of-country living helped refine Mordecai's voice and added a colour and depth of experience which he oft injected into his politically charged writing and reporting. His brutally honest and direct style (as best witnessed in his collection of essays titled Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! Requiem for a Divided Country) earned him several Governor General's awards, a Commonwealth Writer's Prize, a Giller Prize, and a Companion of the Order of Canada.
Mordecai Richler died of cancer in July of 2001.
Click here to view his legacy.
Year completed: 2014
About the author:
Perhaps best known for stirring the proverbial pot, Mordecai Richler has earned a spot in the literary canon of our country for his provocative fiction and non-fiction work. His writing often centres upon a controversial figure or moment or stereotype and thrusts the controversy into the reader's forethought. From his novels to his essays and articles as a long time reporter based in Montreal, Richler had a knack for striking a chord and provoking discussion (often heavily heated) on a wide array of subject matter most critical to being Canadian. His topics often included the ghettoizing of Jewish peoples, the language barriers and political follies of French versus English Canada, and the notions of nationalism and separatism. He also showed a complete versatility by penning the Jacob Two-Two series of children's stories which became instant Canadian children's lit classics.
He is unlike some of the other authors featured in our series of silkscreens in that he left the country in order to find his voice as an author rather than arriving here and beginning his career. Several years of out-of-country living helped refine Mordecai's voice and added a colour and depth of experience which he oft injected into his politically charged writing and reporting. His brutally honest and direct style (as best witnessed in his collection of essays titled Oh Canada! Oh Quebec! Requiem for a Divided Country) earned him several Governor General's awards, a Commonwealth Writer's Prize, a Giller Prize, and a Companion of the Order of Canada.
Mordecai Richler died of cancer in July of 2001.
Click here to view his legacy.