By Clara Chalmers
Eve Parry has attended Collingwood school since junior kindergarten. In these twelve years, she has carved a name for herself - destined to endure long after she was flung from the walls in the wake of Covid. Appearing engraved into awards, old yearbooks and newspapers - on the lips of admiring teachers and peers. Most students attribute her to debate; reputed for speeches that reverberate off the walls of the gym, or the academic focal groups she hosted in the library. She describes her attitude in class as “boisterous.” Her hand is perpetually raised; she crafts conversation with all her approach her, and eagerly proffers her opinion . These traits - of which exude academia - seem irreconcilable to the characteristics of an artist. Yet, every C block of the 2019/2020 year, Eve slips into Ms. Walsh’s senior art 1 class - of where, amongst the drone of pencil on paper, and music leaking from errant ear pods, she bends over her sketchbook, overcome by a quiet. In the last school year, by this method, Eve has produced pieces crawling with colour and texture; collages composed of printed images, embossed with doodles and quotes - pieces that her mum has dubbed “inappropriate.”
If one were to observe a cross-section of Eve Parry’s brain - they might expect a neat anthology divided amongst school, and family, as well as other mundane preoccupations. However, her artworks reveal something far more chaotic. Aptly, Eve identifies an affinity for dreams. She loves delving into the literature of Albert Camus, or Frank Kaflak - writers that puncture the fragile net of reality. She expresses a similar fascination with the surrealist art movement. Eve hence dips into the well of inspiration erected during her year of AP Art History; describing Wilhem de Kooning’s Woman 1 as “a juxtaposition between what women should be as portrayed through the male in history, and what he shows a woman to be through the use of layers and angry strokes with the paintbrush.” Classical art, if possessing the power to “challenge perspectives of the world,” is also appealing - such as Eugene Delacroix’s “liberty leading the people,” or Henry Matisse’s use of primary colours. Black lines and blank canvases also bear a power over Eve. She admits her criteria for determining what is art, and what is not art is “a little loose.” Thus, all art has the capacity to move her. And, as someone who has frequented various galleries over the years, she harbours a horde of inspiration. It is overwhelming to picture Eve’s mind awhir with all the artwork, books, and current events she has ever observed; the knowledge gleaned not merely in Ms.Walsh’s art history classes, but all other courses.
Despite a seeming love for order - as intimated by her neat binders and manner - Eve, in her art, seeks to shatter the very foundations of reality Her work harmonizes disorder and meticulousness. Although bearing an almost windblown atmosphere - as if the canvas was simply placed before the threshold of her mind to collect all that issued forth - her works are immensely intricate. Prior to starting a piece, Eve compiles Pinterest boards and fills her sketchbook with preliminary designs; achieving precision with her most well-used tool; a ruler. As with her meticulously prepared speeches, her visual work has a splicing effect on the audience. Her goal; to unnerve.
Despite only enrolling in visual arts this year, the subject has underlined Eve’s experiences; a vivid, albeit underlooked vein. Her father, of whom charters tours through the Mediterranean, lent her a love of Greek art and mythology. Her mother similarly exuded an appreciation for art, whilst her grandmother was an artist herself. This sewed in her a love to create; a drive propagated, in particular, during summers, in which her family retires to Salt Spring. There, amidst the languid lapping of the sea, and sun-bloated scenery, Eve is not lulled into the slow-moving rituals of vacation - but rather darts about, sketchbook in hand, fervently doodling all she observes. Last year, Eve entered a youth video contest on the island- submitting a “psychedelic film” she dubbed “an abstract expressionist guide to business.” She also enters the yearly library photo contest and takes care to embellish her uniform with personal touches. Eve was a dedicated member of the creative member club, as well as the jazz band and choir, and acted in several school plays. It is remarkable, indeed, that Eve has not been interviewed for Arts Mag in the past - nor recognized as an artist in our community. This can be attributed in part to her modesty. She describes her interview “undeserving honour” and admits she is uncharacteristically quiet about this part of her identity.
The artist within her may have been obscured by other interests. Eve is well rounded. She samples as much of life as she can muster; robotics, running, a muddle of enriched courses. Sample, however, may not be the correct term - as Eve plunges into each activity with all the enthusiasm and time she can scrape together. These are the passions she then stitches seamlessly together in her artwork. As a result, her pieces, although composed of a single flat sheet, seem to be chasms - their murky depths representing an intermingling of everything she has learnt, observes, and ponders.
Eve has concentrated her interests into a single subject - history - of which she intends to study at the London School of Economics in September. Arts enrich her understanding of such a subject; peeling back the layers of past societies, revealing feelings, and responses, that otherwise would have slipped through the wide slats left by censuses, and other factual forms of documentation. According to Eve, artists hence boast a pivotal role in society.
Creating art is not merely about the artist. An artist, from a future perspective, is an archetype for their generation - their work representing themes and emotions that are then ascribed to their time and place. Interestingly, Eve claims drawing wrenches her from her own mind - and turns her focus outwards. Creating; she finds herself sniffing out inspiration - researching past artists and other topics that may influence her process. She shows me her self portrait. A face torn in two; backed by faint pencil sketches. Although featuring her face - it is, in fact, a portrait of the era. Of the feeling that all Grads may be experiencing at present.
Our interview is conducted over the phone - fraught with internet failures, and background noise that seeps into the conversation - spoiling her detailed musings and explanations. I apologize - flustered - and repeat questions. She, meanwhile, calmly steers the conversation, all the whilst absorbed by a college on the theme of social isolation. She luxuriates in the calm that comes of creating. I watch as she plucks at interest boards, and doodles in her sketchbook- attempting to synthesise all her ideas onto a sheet of paper. She seeks a breadth I doubt can be contained in a sheet of paper - I imagine her concepts to spill, bursting over the edges. I ask her to show me her finished work Through the blurred screen - choked with static - the colours are sharp. A feast for one's eyes. She points to different parts - a ventilator she sketched, then crumpled, to represent the shortage across the globe, a splotch of colour to barb the eyes.
Eve has not diffused reality into art - as she denotes to be the purpose of creating is. She has augmented reality. Intensified emotions; revealed thoughts that simmer, vaguely, beneath the surface. One could stare at her work for eternity; every image, colour, line, texture, intimating a question.
We would be fortunate indeed if, in some future, her artwork is used to represent our generation. They bear within them a legacy; sketching a society that is interconnected and multifaceted. They are overwhelming - yet, in some sense, also soothing; showing that the turmoil that churns through everyone's mind can indeed be captured, and stilled, upon paper.
Eve Parry has attended Collingwood school since junior kindergarten. In these twelve years, she has carved a name for herself - destined to endure long after she was flung from the walls in the wake of Covid. Appearing engraved into awards, old yearbooks and newspapers - on the lips of admiring teachers and peers. Most students attribute her to debate; reputed for speeches that reverberate off the walls of the gym, or the academic focal groups she hosted in the library. She describes her attitude in class as “boisterous.” Her hand is perpetually raised; she crafts conversation with all her approach her, and eagerly proffers her opinion . These traits - of which exude academia - seem irreconcilable to the characteristics of an artist. Yet, every C block of the 2019/2020 year, Eve slips into Ms. Walsh’s senior art 1 class - of where, amongst the drone of pencil on paper, and music leaking from errant ear pods, she bends over her sketchbook, overcome by a quiet. In the last school year, by this method, Eve has produced pieces crawling with colour and texture; collages composed of printed images, embossed with doodles and quotes - pieces that her mum has dubbed “inappropriate.”
If one were to observe a cross-section of Eve Parry’s brain - they might expect a neat anthology divided amongst school, and family, as well as other mundane preoccupations. However, her artworks reveal something far more chaotic. Aptly, Eve identifies an affinity for dreams. She loves delving into the literature of Albert Camus, or Frank Kaflak - writers that puncture the fragile net of reality. She expresses a similar fascination with the surrealist art movement. Eve hence dips into the well of inspiration erected during her year of AP Art History; describing Wilhem de Kooning’s Woman 1 as “a juxtaposition between what women should be as portrayed through the male in history, and what he shows a woman to be through the use of layers and angry strokes with the paintbrush.” Classical art, if possessing the power to “challenge perspectives of the world,” is also appealing - such as Eugene Delacroix’s “liberty leading the people,” or Henry Matisse’s use of primary colours. Black lines and blank canvases also bear a power over Eve. She admits her criteria for determining what is art, and what is not art is “a little loose.” Thus, all art has the capacity to move her. And, as someone who has frequented various galleries over the years, she harbours a horde of inspiration. It is overwhelming to picture Eve’s mind awhir with all the artwork, books, and current events she has ever observed; the knowledge gleaned not merely in Ms.Walsh’s art history classes, but all other courses.
Despite a seeming love for order - as intimated by her neat binders and manner - Eve, in her art, seeks to shatter the very foundations of reality Her work harmonizes disorder and meticulousness. Although bearing an almost windblown atmosphere - as if the canvas was simply placed before the threshold of her mind to collect all that issued forth - her works are immensely intricate. Prior to starting a piece, Eve compiles Pinterest boards and fills her sketchbook with preliminary designs; achieving precision with her most well-used tool; a ruler. As with her meticulously prepared speeches, her visual work has a splicing effect on the audience. Her goal; to unnerve.
Despite only enrolling in visual arts this year, the subject has underlined Eve’s experiences; a vivid, albeit underlooked vein. Her father, of whom charters tours through the Mediterranean, lent her a love of Greek art and mythology. Her mother similarly exuded an appreciation for art, whilst her grandmother was an artist herself. This sewed in her a love to create; a drive propagated, in particular, during summers, in which her family retires to Salt Spring. There, amidst the languid lapping of the sea, and sun-bloated scenery, Eve is not lulled into the slow-moving rituals of vacation - but rather darts about, sketchbook in hand, fervently doodling all she observes. Last year, Eve entered a youth video contest on the island- submitting a “psychedelic film” she dubbed “an abstract expressionist guide to business.” She also enters the yearly library photo contest and takes care to embellish her uniform with personal touches. Eve was a dedicated member of the creative member club, as well as the jazz band and choir, and acted in several school plays. It is remarkable, indeed, that Eve has not been interviewed for Arts Mag in the past - nor recognized as an artist in our community. This can be attributed in part to her modesty. She describes her interview “undeserving honour” and admits she is uncharacteristically quiet about this part of her identity.
The artist within her may have been obscured by other interests. Eve is well rounded. She samples as much of life as she can muster; robotics, running, a muddle of enriched courses. Sample, however, may not be the correct term - as Eve plunges into each activity with all the enthusiasm and time she can scrape together. These are the passions she then stitches seamlessly together in her artwork. As a result, her pieces, although composed of a single flat sheet, seem to be chasms - their murky depths representing an intermingling of everything she has learnt, observes, and ponders.
Eve has concentrated her interests into a single subject - history - of which she intends to study at the London School of Economics in September. Arts enrich her understanding of such a subject; peeling back the layers of past societies, revealing feelings, and responses, that otherwise would have slipped through the wide slats left by censuses, and other factual forms of documentation. According to Eve, artists hence boast a pivotal role in society.
Creating art is not merely about the artist. An artist, from a future perspective, is an archetype for their generation - their work representing themes and emotions that are then ascribed to their time and place. Interestingly, Eve claims drawing wrenches her from her own mind - and turns her focus outwards. Creating; she finds herself sniffing out inspiration - researching past artists and other topics that may influence her process. She shows me her self portrait. A face torn in two; backed by faint pencil sketches. Although featuring her face - it is, in fact, a portrait of the era. Of the feeling that all Grads may be experiencing at present.
Our interview is conducted over the phone - fraught with internet failures, and background noise that seeps into the conversation - spoiling her detailed musings and explanations. I apologize - flustered - and repeat questions. She, meanwhile, calmly steers the conversation, all the whilst absorbed by a college on the theme of social isolation. She luxuriates in the calm that comes of creating. I watch as she plucks at interest boards, and doodles in her sketchbook- attempting to synthesise all her ideas onto a sheet of paper. She seeks a breadth I doubt can be contained in a sheet of paper - I imagine her concepts to spill, bursting over the edges. I ask her to show me her finished work Through the blurred screen - choked with static - the colours are sharp. A feast for one's eyes. She points to different parts - a ventilator she sketched, then crumpled, to represent the shortage across the globe, a splotch of colour to barb the eyes.
Eve has not diffused reality into art - as she denotes to be the purpose of creating is. She has augmented reality. Intensified emotions; revealed thoughts that simmer, vaguely, beneath the surface. One could stare at her work for eternity; every image, colour, line, texture, intimating a question.
We would be fortunate indeed if, in some future, her artwork is used to represent our generation. They bear within them a legacy; sketching a society that is interconnected and multifaceted. They are overwhelming - yet, in some sense, also soothing; showing that the turmoil that churns through everyone's mind can indeed be captured, and stilled, upon paper.
