Two works by Canadian contemporary realist artist Mary Pratt, "Jelly Shelf" and "Iceberg in the North Atlantic", will adorn two new stamps as part of Canada Post's continuing Art Canada series.
To create the photorealism effect in the painting "Jelly Shelf" depicted on one of the stamps, Pratt carefully eliminated any traces of brush strokes. Much of Pratt's work focuses on things found in the kitchen. In a recent interview, Pratt said "My role seems to have been to make people see things that are around them all the time; to help them find the beauty of simple things."
The "Iceberg in the North Atlantic" painting, featured on the second stamp resides at the Canadian Embassy in Washington. Pratt says she worked on this painting while waiting for a hip replacement. It is a mixed media piece, in which watercolour, chalk pastels and oil pastels are used.
