Paintings of Nova Scotia: From the Collection of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

One hundred landscapes, by nearly 100 artists, fill this colourful album
of paintings selected from the collection of the Art Gallery of Nova
Scotia. The paintings have only two things in common: they’re all
landscapes, and they all depict some part of Nova Scotia. They may date
from anywhere in the last 200 years. In style, they may be high realism,
impressionistic, abstract, stylized, surreal, or even folk art. They may
be oils, acrylic, watercolours, mixed media, or even inkjet or enamel.
They may be tiny or massive. The artists may have been residents of the
province or just passing through, famous or unknown. The lure of Nova
Scotia’s scenery pulls them together into a cohesive collection.

It’s the range of styles and moods that bring excitement to the
collection. The artistic experience of the painters has been shaped by
the land they observed, as each tried to express an emotional reading of
the province that cannot be put into words or captured by a camera.

The moods of the land add drama, and the contrasting views and outlooks
accumulate to build a portrait of a beautiful yet harsh land.
Loneliness, grandeur, strength, fearfulness, dignity, vigour, anger, and
serenity are among the moods captured in the collection. Layer by layer,
the paintings add depth to the portrait of the province.

Thanks to its variety, the book could serve as a useful text for a
self-taught landscape appreciation course. Nova Scotians will of course
find interest in the various interpretations of their home, and art
students will appreciate the opportunity to explore so many styles in
one convenient package.