Apples on a Windowsill by Shawna Lemay

Apples on a Windowsill by Shawna Lemay is a love letter to art, to being attentive, to being attuned to beauty. Often funny, and at every turn insightful, this compelling collection of essays reads like a book of prayer. I devoured it slowly, savouring and meditating on each essay, usually in the early mornings when the world was still quiet, and then again in the evenings, just before bed. Now, as I re-read, I still keep my copy—the cover now softened, spine broken, each corner folded back—at the top of the pile on my bedside table, so that my sleeping self might be infused with the same love of creativity that Lemay so clearly possesses. Bluntly put, I want her words to be the last I read before the long day ends and my body and spirit prepares for the next one to begin.

Lemay is an accomplished writer. Not only is her prose lyrical and effortless to read, but her honesty is plain. Through the essay form, the author invites us into her home, her routines, her marriage, and most especially, into her personal artistic journey and understanding. Couple that with her clear knowledge of and love for the tradition of still life and its players throughout history, and this book is a hands-down winner.

Besides being an accomplished writer, Lemay is also an artist in her own right. As a still life photographer, she carefully arranges flower bouquets next to pieces of fruit, and always alongside stacks of art books about—what else?—still life. However, unlike traditional works by O’Keefe or Cezanne, her tableaus often incorporate modern day items like a bottle of Heinz ketchup or a hamburger from McDonald’s—an ode to the ordinary. Often, there might be a skull included, and most of it balanced against a darkened backdrop.

While I love and appreciate art, I really don’t know much about it. I couldn’t, for example, write about it with any kind of authority or depth of understanding like Lemay does. And, if I’m honest, still life is—or, at least, was—perhaps last on my list of favourites. I still don’t know if I fully understand still life, but I’m far closer for having read Apples on a Windowsill. What I do know is that I am now a Shawna Lemay fan, and I look forward to reading her back titles. What’s more, I am reminded, each time I re-read an essay from this collection, to pay attention, to be intentional—that the mundane can become a work of art. A recommended read!

Apples on a Windowsill by Shawna Lemay Palimpsest Press, 2024, pp. 264 ISBN: 978-990293665