Eva Christensen / Canada Games Gallery / May 2 – June 27, 2025
Artist Statement
I always say that I paint what I see. But really, I paint what I want to remember. Eveery painting I create captures a specific moment in a time in my life. The series title, Wish You Were Here, carries a double meaning: these paintings are like postcards from my life, inspired by family vacations around The Maritimes and New England, and they speak to a nostalgic longing for moments I cannot return to.
This series of figurative watercolor paintings focuses on my family – my husband and especially our dogs – in locations from New Brunswick to the beaches of Prince Edward Island and the coast of Maine. I carefully compose each painting using my own photography as a reference. A few years ago, we said goodbye to our first dog, my heart dog, who made us a family of three more than fourteen years ago. His loss gave me a more intense focus and sense of urgency in recording and reflecting on these precious family moments.
Over time, we have had to say goodbye to some of the beloved dogs featured in these paintings, while welcoming new pack members. Together, these scenes tell a story about lazy, hazy memories and the evolution of our family.
Through my art, I want to speak to universal human experiences – nostalgia, longing, love, famly, change, and loss. While these paintings depict my personal story, they invite viewers to see something of themselves in these everyday scenes, forming their own connections with moments of joy, lov, and farewell.