Curator remembers famed Canadian painter Mary Pratt

Whether or not you actually know the paintings of Mary Pratt, you almost certainly know the details — the touch, the smell, the taste — of the things she often painted. 

Pratt died this week, in St. John's, N.L., at the age of 83. Some of her most famous work reflected everyday things in photo-realistic detail: defrosting supper in the kitchen, making your bed or cracking eggs to make an omelette. Her paintings resonated so deeply with people, they were toured all across Canada.

Tom Smart knew the artist well. He runs the Beaverbrook Gallery in Pratt's birthplace, Fredericton, N.B. In 1995, he curated her breakthrough national tour and wrote the accompanying book for the exhibit. Today, Smart joins q guest host Laurie Brown over the line, live from Fredericton, to talk about Pratt's life and artistic legacy.

Listen to the full conversation with Tom Smart about the famed Canadian painter Mary Pratt near the top of this page. 

— Produced by Diane Eros

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