Anchoring time : an ethnographic study of public responses to Elizabeth Margot Wall's paintings

Wheeler, Sandra (1999) Anchoring time : an ethnographic study of public responses to Elizabeth Margot Wall's paintings. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This thesis is an examination of the life and work of a Newfoundland visual artist and the response of her audience. A native of Dresden, Germany, Elizabeth Margot Wall lived in Newfoundland for twenty-three years-from 1970 to 1993. She relocated to Fredericton, New Brunswick, in August 1993. Elizabeth Margot Wall has chosen for her subject matter the coastal communities of Newfoundland and Labrador. For the purpose of this study, she will be referred to as a Newfoundland visual artist. The thesis is an interpretation of the cultural grounding of a body of nonacademic artwork based in cultural theory. -- My experience as a native Newfoundlander informs the discussion as do the articles, books and newspapers I have read and the interviews I have conducted. In the process of its writing, I have learned that the natural beauty of this province not only dazzles me, but also enchants the visitor. This rich and sensuous environment, as depicted by Elizabeth Margot Wall's idealized landscapes, conveys a metaphysical concept which reaches out metaphorically to Newfoundlanders and non-Newfoundlanders alike in a constructive and emotional warmth. Its unique integrity enacts a transformative process that unleaches the creativity of its inhabitants and visitors, its artists and consumers, in an act of artistic communication. -- Ultimately, Elizabeth Margot Wall's paintings are objects of meaning, not only for the artist but also for viewers, buyers and interpreters. This thesis, therefore, is an exploration of the paintings' various levels of signification.

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