Comparing a House and Home Through the Art Process

March 5, 2020

Academics

GNS

A home versus a house. That’s what Emily Katral ’20 tries to get people thinking about through her art. Katral is showcasing her pieces at the Grade 12 IB Art Exhibition that is on right now from March 4 to 7 in the foyer of Denford Hall.

“The majority of my art pieces follow the theme of finding a home, and the difference between a house and a home.” She explains that for her a house is a “space” while a home is a place you feel safe and comfortable.

While there is an underlying theme of finding what a home is in all of her pieces, she says she tries to keep her art ambiguous. Exploring the idea of a house versus home comes from Emily’s own life and what she has experienced.

“Moving from Vancouver to Victoria was a big shift for me,” she said. “Even though I love it here, it was a way for me to explore finding places that make me feel comfortable and safe that aren’t the home I’m used to in Vancouver.”

For Emily, what surrounds her is what influences her artistic expression. It could be passing by a mural downtown, other artists, or various objects that spark her interests.

“I get really influenced by colours that I see, even if it has nothing to do with art,” she said, noting ambiguous and contrasting colours of light and dark are something she likes to use. “I thought it looked beautiful and different than what you usually would do, and I wanted to bend the rules a little bit.”

Emily began painting from a young age because of her mother, and says she has fallen in love with art, as it lets her tell her story.

“I love art,” she said. “It’s a way for me to express myself when my words fail me. I can use colour or whatever is going on in my mind because art is anything you want it to be. It doesn’t have any rules. It can be whatever you are feeling—it’s great.”

Emily is looking to focus on a Bachelor of Arts at university when she graduates from GNS but will continue to paint as a hobby.

“The art world can be tricky to get through and find yourself in,” she said. “As a side thing, I would continue doing it because it’s what I love to do.”

The IB Art Exhibition Show is running from March 4 to 7 in the foyer of Denford Hall. It coincides with the Senior School production of Mary Poppins. Emily and five other students will have curated displays of multiple pieces of art, and you won’t want to miss it.

“All the students who are in the IB Art Exhibition Show have put in so many hours to create pieces they are passionate about,” she said. “It’s a big passion for a lot of the art students that take art here, and it would be nice to see and appreciate what we have created.”