Valerie MacIntosh | Portraits | Contemporary Artist

< Artwork Menu

Portraits

Four old farmers sit in conversation on a bench in front of a store window. The perspective is exaggerated.

Four Old Guys, oil on masonite, 70 x 48”, 1988

Detail. Four Old Guys

Detail. Four Old Guys

Harry, a musical composer, has his head in his hand, thinking. Behind him are a distorted piano and old-fashioned typewriter. The outside border is shaped like raised piano keys, and another contains some of his lyrics.

Harry – In His Own Words, mixed materials in masonite, 48 x 48”, 1989

Detail: Harry – In His Own Words

A teenager of Jamaican heritage stands before a corridor, which stretches behind her, leading to the unknown. She is surrounded by a border made of many individual clay sculptures of such things as Rasta faces, ackee and African masks, and another border of flowers.

Threshold (Ava), oil, clay and wood on masonite, 48 x 70”, 1990

Detail: Threshold (Ava)

Detail: Threshold (Ava)

Detail: Threshold (Ava)

Alt Text – Paula sits apprehensively in a fashionable hat, with the ghosts of her demons suggested behind her. One border around her is composed of many images of her in Warhol style. The outer border has child-like images of a girl gleefully rocking different boats.

Portrait of Paula, mixed materials on masonite, 48 x 56”, 1990

Detail: Portrait of Paula

Detail: Portrait of Paula

Asia sits in her sunroom, surrounded by various borders. One has mixed paintings of images from her life (Danforth streetscape, her children, camping), and cultural background (Pakistani mogul images and wheat field). Another is collaged medical and historical texts, and one is composed of ceramic relief sculptures in Indian style. The outer layer is sari fabric.

Asia, oil, clay, fabric, collage on masonite, 50 x 64”, 1991

Detail: Asia

Detail: Asia

Justine, mixed materials (including rubber, dirt, ferns, birch bark) on masonite, 48 x 72”, 1992

Justine walks in a Greenwich Village streetscape contained within an arch shape, which echoes the shape of the painting. Behind is a Manhattan skyline seen at night from the river. A series of undulating layers make up the bottom third. They include painted rat feet, pebbles in dirt, images of Aztec culture and from her life and interests. The outer border is composed of rubber reliefs.

Detail: Justine

Detail: Justine

The Honourable Tery Vyse, mixed materials (including moose hide, porcupine quills,
coke can, birch bark, acrylic modeling paste etc.) on masonite, 80 x 83”, 1992

Detail: The Honourable Tery Vyse

Tery Vyse was the first aboriginal woman to be appointed to the provincial bench in Ontario. She is pictured in her gown within an oval, as she is of the Turtle Clan. The moose hide around her has the silhouette of the Great Tree of Peace, and footsteps. Turbulent waters above symbolize current relations between aboriginal and other Canadian peoples. The arch above contains an image of peaceful water, a hope for the future.. The two sides have stripes, alluding to the Two Row Wampum treaty belt, symbolic of the agreement between Aboriginal and European nations to live lives of parallel friendship and peace. The left has natural materials in a canoe -like shapes, the right has images and materials of white society in bullet-like shapes. All this floats on a cloud. The wing -shaped side pieces recall totem images.

Detail: The Honourable Tery Vyse

Detail: The Honourable Tery Vyse

Detail: The Honourable Tery Vyse

Eva is a troubled young woman (shown by her expression) from the Philippines. The outer, flower-like shape with raised palm fronds, and the undulating raised water beside it indicate her island origins. She is surrounded by many people, symbolized by button heads and cross shapes covered in thread bodies. Other paintings include family members, images of her Catholic faith and children’s’ toys, as she worked as a nanny.

Eva, mixed materials on masonite, approx. 48 x 48”, 1996

Detail: Eva

Detail: Eva

Farisha, mixed materials (including plastic, fabrics, metal, artificial flowers) on masonite, approx. 48 x 48”, 1999

Detail: Farisha

Detail: Farisha

Detail: Farisha

Detail: Farisha