Home Truths: A Celebration of Family Life by Canada's Best-Loved Painters

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.

Murray, perhaps the leading spokesperson for Canadian art, adds this
magnificent book to a body of work that includes a dozen books and
hundreds of exhibition catalogues and articles.

With Home Truths she explores the traditions, expectations, and values
that Canadians associate with the concept of home. Home is a glowing
hearth, a tender glance from a mother, a pet to cuddle, a quiet child,
food, peace, and shelter. For some, home is a pot of tea in the making;
for others, it is warm sunlight spreading security across the doorway,
or a sister at the piano. Whatever the image that symbolizes home, it
has probably found expression somewhere in the 130 works of art that
make up this collection.

The reproductions are predominantly of oil or acrylic works. The
historic range is from the early 1800s to the present day. The selection
includes works by such well-known artists as Emily Carr, Ken Danby, A.Y.
Jackson, Alex Colville, William Berczy, Paul Kane, and Christopher and
Mary Pratt. Dozens of other names (most will be recognized by art
students and gallery goers) fill the work with variety and excitement.

The oversized format allows for large plates separated by generous
white space, making it easier to concentrate on each painting in turn
with a minimum of visual cross-contamination. For each work of art,
Murray provides technical details (size, date, medium, and location) and
a few lines of text about the artist and/or about the specific work.

This book will bring an appreciation of some of Canada’s best art
within the grasp of people who do not have access to or would never
enter a gallery.