CHER PRUYS | 2ND PLACE
2024 ARTIST’S CHOICE COMPETITION
2nd Place Winning Entry, 2024 Artist’s Choice Competition
Cher Pruys, Taxi Ride, acrylic
Cher Pruys
Self-taught Canadian artist, Cher Pruys, has been drawing since the age of three, but never picked up a paintbrush until she was 35 years old. That’s when she found her media of choice — acrylic, watercolor, and gouache. A prolific artist with an amazing range of subjects, Pruys creates hyperrealistic paintings of landscapes, portraits, still lifes, the natural world, people, machines, and aviation subjects, all with equal ability.
A member of a long list of professional art affiliations, Pruys’ work has garnered numerous awards, features in art publications, juried international exhibits, magazine covers, and can be found in public and private art collections. Recently, we talked to Pruys about her art and inspiration.
Cher Pruys, Lake Louise, acrylic
Your piece, “Taxi Ride,” looks like the imagery is taken from an actual taxi ride. Can you tell us about it?
I find joy and peace of mind during rainy days. The sound of the raindrops tapping the window of my cab was so rhythmical that it cast a spell-like mood, accented by people carrying umbrellas as they went about their day. I felt an incredible urge to share this moment and transport my viewers into the heart of this scene in Tokyo. I knew immediately this was a painting in the making.
Cher Pruys, Miss Virginia, acrylic
Can you tell us about the thought behind how you positioned the umbrellas and red elements in the painting?
I positioned the red accents in such a way as to draw the eye to the crosswalk where the action of the composition is focused. This created a balance with the tall building on the left, bringing equal weight to the elements across the center while keeping the structure stable and aesthetically pleasing.
Cher Pruys, Thumbs Up, acrylic
How did acrylics lend themselves to this artwork?
The wonderful transparent layering possible with acrylics was undoubtedly the most important feature I capitalized on in this piece, and with the quick drying time of acrylics, I could work rapidly without overworking areas. Also, being able to dilute the paint with water was an integral part of creating the reflections and capturing that wet appearance.
Many of your more recent works seem to be urban scenes. What inspires you in those pieces?
I really enjoy painting urban scenes and have spent more time on this subject lately. I never really run out of my varied subject matter, so it all comes down to time. On my travels I have photographed many scenes that I found particularly exciting, moving, interesting, and at times mesmerizing. My desire to capture these moments, and to share them, inspires me to paint them. Sometimes a normal, everyday scene that many would consider banal, I see as a transcendental dimension, destined to become one of my urban works.
All artwork © Cher Pruys, shared with permission.