“My art has always incorporated realism and precise proportions, but this drawing allowed me to concentrate on the specific characteristics of the face. In fact, this not only allowed me to explore facial expressions, but also allowed me to recreate the emotions of my little brother playing outside during the autumn. The art of Alex Colville inspired my drawing because of the personality that characterizes his work. He was capable of creating an interior world that captures the public, all while releasing intense emotions, but contained emotions at the same time. As an artist, I strive to capture the emotions and the realism of my work and I am therefore hugely inspired by the work of Alex Colville.”

— Sydney Lunde-Ingrey (Grade 11, École secondaire publique De La Salle, Ottawa, Ontario)

Imbued with a unique emotional intensity, East Coast artist Alex Colville’s (1920–2013) images of figures and faces are both restrained and revealing.