“In terms of the process of my work, I was inspired by the artist Alex Colville. Alex Colville is a Canadian artist who works in the domain of realism. He often creates works with human figures with tempera or oil paint. His method of working and his paintings inspired me a lot because our working techniques are very similar. He is often inspired by photography and photographs. For me, photography with the human figure is one of my main sources / ways of creating. Colville organizes his thoughts in sketches first and then creates his final works. In my creative process, I do the same thing. His process inspires me, but his works do also because I appreciate his use of detail and texture. He demonstrates shading and texture in a way that is very unique. In my work I tried to demonstrate where the light hits the clothing to create a smooth texture as in the works of Colville. This technique demonstrates a delicacy and depth in the work that I appreciate a lot. Colville will likely continue to inspire me, because his use of detail and shading is incredible.”

— Raven Martin (Grade 11, École secondaire publique De La Salle, Ottawa, Ontario)

Alex Colville (1920–2013) developed a signature style when he settled in his homes of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia after working as an official Canadian war artist. He is best known for his unusual use of perspective, his mastery of realism, and the interior worlds of his subjects.