Claire Desjardins

Painting Movement

On the Web features inspiring artists who use social media and various sharing platforms for the purpose of promoting their art on the Internet.

Originally from Montreal, Claire Desjardins gave up her career as graphic designer in 2011 to dedicate herself entirely to her artistic practice. In her work, she seeks to recreate movement and, in painting, transform personal chaos into tranquility.

This creative intensity is perceivable through the kinetic energy with which the artist applies pigment on canvas, but especially through her most distinctive colour palette.

She has been the recipient of numerous grants for artist residencies, one of which brought her as far as the Da Wang Culture Artist Residency in China. Claire Desjardins is one of the top-selling artists on the Saatchi Art platform, a global leader in transactional websites specializing in the sale of artworks. She also displays her work off the web, in a more traditional fashion, in galleries across Canada.

Due to her consistent Internet presence and the indisputable quality of her work, Claire Desjardins is regularly mentioned on a great number of webzines and influential blogs.

Advice on things, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 72 in

How would you describe your artistic work in a tweet of 140 characters, hashtags included?

C.D.: Abstract painter, inspired by the expressionists of the 1950s.

In your opinion, how important is having a website for an artist or a gallery owner?

C.D.: It’s very important! Everyone is on social media, so we need to be on it too!

Have you called on professional help for your website design and programming?

C.D.: Yes, I had my website programmed by a company specializing in such work. Its design, however, I  did myself, since I actually was a Web designer for many years.

What would you recommend for artists who still do not have a website and whose budget is very limited?

C.D.: Create your own website! If not, join and feature yourself on sites where you will be able to sell your art. For example: Saatchi Art, Fine Art America or Art Finder. Also maintain regular social media presence… It’s free!

At what frequency do you update your website?

C.D.: Ideally, daily!

How much time, on a professional basis, are you investing in social media?

C.D.: I am actively present on social media everyday. I monitor throughout the day and especially during my workshop breaks.

How have social media helped you in your career? Can you give us a concrete example?

C.D.: Of course! It’s an excellent way of promoting my art exhibits and advertising my forthcoming workshops. I once welcomed students from Virginia who had driven 13 hours to attend a workshop that was advertised on Facebook. Some of my paintings have also been sold through sharing on Pinterest or Facebook.

As a professional artist, do you maintain a blog? What topics do you discuss and how frequently do you post?

C.D.: On my blog, where I allow myself to post opinions, I write about events related to my artistic practice, for example: fairs, workshops, inspiring travel experiences, artist residencies, etc.

Do you sell your work on any online gallery?

C.D.: Yes. I am essentially present on Saatchi Art.

Is selling your artwork online a complex process, especially concerning shipping?

C.D.: If you wish to sell on the Internet, you necessarily need to be organized! First, equip yourself with the necessary shipping materials: bubble wrap, cartons and boxes. You must also know what the dimensions and weight of the final parcels are. Inquire about all customs regulations: value of your export, NAFTA rules, other countries regulations, etc. When I possess all this information, everything becomes easier!

If you could recommend only one Website to other artists, which one would it be?

C.D.: Pinterest.

What projects are you entertaining for the coming 6 months (or more)? Exhibitions? Artist residencies? Training?

C.D.: Having just ended my participation in The Artist Project fair in Toronto, where space was allotted to house my production, I am presently dedicating the majority of my time to catching-up with my work in studio! I am scheduled to lead some workshops in Montréal and in the United States and I am in preparation for an exhibition at the Wall Space Gallery in Ottawa.

Text by Isabelle Gagné (MissPixels) 

The following links will allow you to follow Claire Desjardins on the Web and stay connected with the artist:

Official Website: clairedesjardins.com

Twitter: twitter.com/clairedj

Facebook: facebook.com/studioclaire

Instagram: instagram.com/claire_desjardins_art

Pinterest: pinterest.com/clairedj/

Saatchi Art: saatchiart.com/clairedj

Tumblr: claire-desjardins-art.tumblr.com/

We also invite you to stay connected with Magazin’Art on our various media:

Official website : magazinart.com

Twitter : twitter.com/magazinart

Facebook : facebook.com/magazinart

Pinterest : pinterest.com/magazinart

TORONTO

It may now be time for something a little more modern and the Art Gallery of Ontario will be showing Jean-Michel Basquiat: Now’s the Time until May 10, 2015. Basquiat made a reputation for himself in New York City during the late 1980s and that reputation soon became international. Basquiat was black and his art confronted racism, identity and social tension. This is the first retrospective of Basquiat’s work to be shown in Canada and consists of close to 85 large scale paintings and drawings from private collections and public museums across Europe and North America.

Spring 2015

QUEBEC CITY

The Musée National des Beaux Arts du Québec is promising those who devoted to Japanese art one heck of a time with Japan, The Great Seduction, running from June 11, 2015 – September 27, 2015. The exhibition draws on the famous collection of Japanese art at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and consists of 130 works including pieces in lacquer and silver, paintings, photographs and prints. The Quebec City showing is the only stop in Canada. The exhibition promises to explore the Western world’s fascination with Japanese art and its powerful influence.

It seems, however, that Boston Museum of Fine Arts has kept some of its more famous works at home. From April 5, 2015 – August 9, 2015 the museum will be exhibiting Hokusai, whose images are perhaps the most widely recognized of any Japanese artist. Katsushika Hokusai, 1760-1849, was the first Japanese artist to be internationally recognized. Some of the masterworks on display will be Under the Wave Off Kanagawa from the legendary series Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji and the brilliantly coloured multi-panel screen painting Phoenix.

Spring 2015

Claude A. Simard (1943-2014)

Achieving Timelessness

Great Encounter

“Always remember to take some time to slow down, follow your instincts and taste life to its fullest. It is the essence of truth in creation and of its extended relevance throughout generations.” – Calvin Klein

Never has the passing of a painter and university professor in graphics communication received such a vibrant tribute in the form of a letter published in a major daily newspaper. This short passage conveys its content: “We can say of him that he was colourful and that he has largely influenced our own sensibilities. This teacher was able to ingrain in us a sense of duty and a love of beauty. He made us believe in ourselves. Professor, you have loved us dearly, we know. It’s our turn to tell you how much we loved you in return. Your passion, so inspiring, will live on. It is now part of us all. And, we have long since started to in turn pass it along to others. We will never forget you, Mr. Claude A. Simard!” – Three decades of saddened students.

L’artiste en séance de signatures

Wow! It certainly stirs at your heart! I wonder how the painter would have reacted at reading such a letter. For Claude A. Simard was a gentle man, a man who saw and appreciated the people around him, humanity in general and the act of creation in perpetual regeneration. So tender-hearted that he felt vulnerable, hence needed to hide behind some protective armour. He was never entirely convinced that his way of teaching was the right way. And, he felt the same about his artistic process, which motivated him to work on his paintings at length, until he finally felt satisfied. The painter’s wife, Huguette Moreau, is adamant: “If the studio door was closed, I was not to bother him. But, if the door was open, I knew he wished to hear me voice my opinion, although he never directly asked for it. I waited for the right moment to be able to speak objectively. He never trusted his first impression, never being entirely convinced of having fully realized his vision.”

Oliviers et tournesols, 30 x 36 po

The beginnings

Paper and pencil: that’s all it took to embark on a creative adventure! Claude A. Simard had an enterprising spirit which guided him throughout his life. He never imagined it could be any different. He bit into life fully. “He had this quality of being able to look at his work with a critical eye and foresee possible limitations in the expected result,” explains gallery owner Roch-André Perreault, who highly promoted the painter’s works here in Quebec and abroad.

Noël à la campagne, 36 x 48 po

“It all started when Claude A. and I met while we were both employed by Maison Simons,” relates Mr. Perreault. Claude A. Simard indeed started working in 1966 as a young graphic designer for the Quebec fashion retailer. “Logos, interior store design, advertising drawing: he’s the one who developed the company’s brand image of excellence,” says Roch-André Perreault, adding that, being himself a merchandise buyer for Simons at the time, he travelled all over the world for the retailer and his friend Claude A. never failed to ask him, upon his return, for a report on everything he had seen in Europe. “Claude A was an inspired creator and always on the look-out for the latest trends,” relates Mr. Perreault, reminiscing about his dear friend. “When I opened my own clothing store, where I offered international fashions, he’s the one I entrusted with the architectural design and signature brand. What he created was so audacious and innovative that people still remember it.”

Final approach, 30 x 36 po

“After the adventure with fashion designers, Claude A. was not surprised to find me working in the art world. His presence in my gallery’s pool of artists testifies to the friendship and mutual respect we shared. All my artists are important to me, but Claude A. had a way of putting himself forward, which was evident on our exhibition walls. The public’s response has always been extraordinary, and he knew it. But, he constantly sought to better himself, even though he was holding all the elements of a recipe that could be exploited indefinitely. Claude A. Simard has, in fact, never felt entirely within his comfort zone while creating. As a gallery owner, I was more than happy to represent such an artist.”

An exceptional legacy

The vivacious luminosity of nature! Happiness, joy of living and of painting with audacious colours to attract the eye and extract sentiment! Here are paintings that spread smiles on society. Smiles full of hope and joy! Facing his canvas, the painter never knew in advance what he was going to do. His compositions took form progressively as he painted, seeking unusual connections of space and volume among the various themes represented. His multiple trips abroad and the many drawings sketched under the lights that are so particular to Europe, allowed him to explore a variety of effects of balance and harmony, which, in the end, may have benefited his style, his vision even.

La fleuriste est amoureuse, 36 x 42 po

Claude A. Simard’s artistic path has engendered other areas of interest. Environmentally conscious, he advocated the protection of nature. He was always ready to fight for freedom of artistic expression as much as for the quality of life that will be our children’s legacy. And, via his paintings, he was able to permanently engage the public at large in his causes. Another challenge that this talented and perfectionist man has brilliantly met. Thank you for everything, Mr. Claude A. Simard!

Your Magazin’Art wishes to thank Mrs. Huguette Moreau, the painter’s widow, for her testimony, and Mr. Roch André Perreault, gallery-owner of renown and, most importantly, friend of the artist whose first creative sparks he was present to witness.

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Texte by Michel Bois

Claude-A. Simard is represented by : Galerie Alan Klinkhoff, Montréal, Québec ; Galerie Perreault, Québec, Québec ; Galerie L’Harmattan, Baie-Saint-Paul, Québec ; Galerie Richard Hevey, Sainte-Adèle, Québec ; Galerie Roberts, Toronto, Ontario ; Galerie Masters, Calgary, Alberta ; Galerie Masters, Vancouver, C.-B. ; Galerie West End, Edmonton, Alberta ; Galerie West End, Victoria, C.-B.

Nathalie Lapointe

The Art of Breaking Free

Art in a Feminine Perspective

Into the black waters that surround the city, gleaming towers and buildings spread their shimmering reflections. Splitting the darkness, powerful and vivid colours translate the pulse of urban life and all its trepidations.

This atmospheric luminosity permeates Nathalie Lapointe’s body of work. Stark contrasts and imaginary cities have become, for the painter, a prescription against the mad dash of life.

The artist, a native of Lanaudière, ended her eleven years career as a teacher to dedicate herself to art. “I love people and I loved working with children, but my passion for painting was calling me.”Her perilous jump into the unknown came after serious consideration, fuelled by a strong desire to set her own life path.

Texte by Isabelle Gauthier

Represented by Galerie Le Bourget, Montréal

Marcel Mussely

Studio Visit

A nice summer day in Longueuil, a quiet street where houses are surrounded by gardens and shaded by trees: we breathe easily here and experience a feeling of wellbeing, far away from the city yet so near.

This is the environment in which Marcel Mussely has chosen to establish residence, in 1973, selecting a home oriented towards the northern light. Essential to his work, the light floods his studio, which was renovated and enlarged a few years back to enable him to paint oversized canvases. For, Marcel Mussely is a painter in his heart and soul and has always been, irregardless of the fact that he worked in advertising for more than 25 years following studies in Commercial Illustration at the Famous Artist School of Westport, Connecticut.

Texte by Catherine Guex

Suzan Édith Baron Lafrenière

Paying Tribute to Women

Thumbnail Sketches

Love and human warmth: pure joy! It is in festive atmosphere that I am welcomed at Baron Lafrenière Gallery in Quebec City on this autumn afternoon.

It is an honour to meet this great artist, Suzan Édith Baron Lafrenière and her two sons, Nikolas-Samuel Bernier, who manages the gallery, and François-David Bernier, lawyer and owner of this fantastic art gallery located in the old Molson bank building near Quebec’s old port. Suzan Édith Baron Lafernière has, in fact, four sons who actively promote her work to collectors and to the public at large.

Texte by Frédéric-Marc Gagné

Edith Jolicoeur

From Mixed Techniques to New Media

On the Web features inspiring artists who use social media and various sharing platforms for the purpose of promoting their art on the Internet.

Edith Jolicoeur is a Gaspé artist whose works have been showcased in the National History Museum of the Parc National de Miguasha and in the Musée de la Gaspésie as well as in various recognized exhibition venues.

Her works are part of public and private collections in North-America. Recipient of a grant from the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec for research and creation projects and a graduate of the International Academy of Design, the artist’s creative approach is based on a story telling style. For almost fifteen years, she has been turning old doors into true works of art. Presently, her practice is rather oriented towards new media, integrating photography, videography and printing, thus progressively abandoning the voluminous and heavy supports she had previously been using.

For 13 summers, Edith Jolicoeur has operated a personal art gallery in Carleton-sur-Mer in the Baie-des-Chaleurs. In parallel with her artistic practice, she works as a consultant with a mission of helping artists and cultural organizations take advantage of what the Web and social media can offer.

How would you describe your artistic work in a tweet of 140 characters, hashtags included?

E.J.: Based on a story telling style, my artistic process combines visual arts and new media. #Art #Storytelling #Techno #POM

In your opinion, how important is having a website for an artist or a gallery owner?

E.J.: As an artist, my website provides me with a window that is accessible at all times to the public as well as to me. Nowadays, people no longer wish to go out and about to have access to art, they would rather be able to appreciate art from the comfort of home, which is made possible through the Web.

Have you called on professional help for your website design and programming?

E.J.: No. I attended my first HTML courses in 1998 and have always built my own websites.

What would you recommend for artists who still do not have a website and whose budget is very limited?

E.J.: A responsive website is a must, in my opinion. It’s possible to set one up free of charge without domain name. It’s also possible to have a site with domain name and without advertising for as little as one hundred dollars a year.

At what frequency do you update your website?

E.J.: During periods of active creation, I may post daily updates. Otherwise, it varies according to my blog posts. In an ideal world, I would update it weekly, at the very least.

Traces, extrait d’oeuvre

How much time, on a professional basis, are you investing in social media?

E.J.: If we only consider my artistic activities, between 4 and 10 hours a week depending on the period.

How have social media helped you in your career? Can you give us a concrete example?

E.J.: I prefer to consider Web activities as a whole (including newsletter and website) rather than focussing solely on social media. Overall, more than 80% of my business turnover can be attributed to my ACTIVE presence on the Web and social media.

As a professional artist, do you maintain a blog? What topics do you discuss and how frequently do you post?

E.J.: Yes, there is a blog section integrated to my professional website. I post about different topics: slice of artistic life, special projects, soft frustrations, etc. The posting frequency varies on whether or not I am in an active period of creation. In an ideal world, I would like to post a new entry on a monthly basis.

Does your site allow virtual shopping? If so, what is the ratio of online transactions to your overall revenues? Do you feel there is reluctance on the part of artists about selling their works online?

E.J.: My site is not transactional and I do not wish it to be. Mostly due to the fact that I am among that small number of ‘cranked’ artists who insist on having a written sales contract for each work sold. All prices for my works are posted on my site, where there is also a note saying that I value human contact and that interested parties are invited to contact me via email or phone to discuss modes of transaction, payment and delivery. When I do sell a piece of art, in all discretion and as a sign of respect for my clients, I quickly remove the indicated price replacing it with the word ‘SOLD’.

Text by Isabelle Gagné (MissPixels)

The following links will allow you to follow Edith Jolicoeur on the Web and stay connected with the artist:

Official website : edithjolicoeur.com

Twitter : twitter.com/edithjolicoeur

Facebook : facebook.com/edithjolicoeur

Instagram : instagram.com/edithjolicoeur

Vimeo : vimeo.com/edithjolicoeur

LinkedIn : linkedin.com/in/edithjolicoeur

We also invite you to stay connected with Magazin’Art on our various media:

Official website : magazinart.com

Twitter : twitter.com/magazinart

Facebook : facebook.com/magazinart

Pinterest : pinterest.com/magazinart

VANCOUVER

From February 14, 2015 to May 18, 2015 Cezanne and the Modern: Masterworks of European Art from the Pearlman Collection will be on exhibition at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Vancouver is the only Canadian venue for the exhibition. The show consists of roughly fifty works of art and no less than 24 of them are by Cezanne. Other artists on exhibition include Modigliani, Manet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Van Gogh and Gauguin.

Winter 2015

The Many Faces

of Dansereau

Great Encounter

“People should learn to see things for themselves and not take advice.” – Renoir

Defending the creations of a painter’s unfettered imagination is a freedom some are still reluctant to embrace. Yet, the irrational osmosis between art and life, the lyrical outpourings, the intuition of mystery and the unforeseen discoveries, allow the greatest possible enrichment of the painting as a whole, thus revealing the inner core of its creator.

Text by Michel Bois

Gérard Dansereau is represented by : Galerie Michel-Ange, Montreal, Galerie d’art Iris, Baie-Saint-Paul, Galerie d’art Vincent, Château-Laurier, Ottawa, Galerie Linda Verge, Quebec City, Galerie d’art La Corniche, Chicoutimi, Galerie Robert Senneville, Sherbrooke, Galerie Coup de Coeur, Saint Jean-Port-Joli, Liss Gallery, Toronto.

Richard Bélanger

Audacious and Nonconformist

Artist Profil 

Becoming a member of the American Watercolor Society undoubtedly represents ultimate recognition for a watercolour painter. The oldest and most important artistic organization in North-America has been in existence since 1866 and counts but a few Canadians among its membership. Since April 2014, a first Quebecer was able to integrate the ranks of the prestigious watercolour society; a long desired and greatly deserved honour for artist Richard Bélanger.

 Text by Mélissa Fauteux

Richard is represented by : Galerie West End, Westmount, Montreal, Galerie d’Art Loft, Old Montreal, Tilting at Windmills Gallery, Manchester, Vermont.

Josée La Roche

Heightened Sensitivity

Art in a Feminine Perspective

Josée La Roche was born in Quebec City in 1969. She is the oldest of three children. From a very young age, she becomes fascinated with drawing. In fact, many of her childhood memories relate to the pleasure of drawing and creating. As far back as she can remember, the arts were part of her life. She initially studies fashion design at Campus Notre-Dame-de-Foy, followed by studies in commercial art. She then works in graphic design for a few years, until 2009, notably as specifier for architects and interior designers. Meanwhile, her constantly growing desire to express herself through art was becoming increasingly urgent.

Normand Hudon

Scathing Visual Satires

On Exhibit

A man of diverse talents, Normand Hudon initially made his mark with a large segment of the public by ingeniously taking visual gibes at society, notably through cartoons published in a multitude of weeklies, periodicals and dailies such as Le Devoir and La Presse. Alongside these activities, having studied the arts in Montreal and Paris, Hudon also paints. From as early as 1947, his works are regularly exhibited in Quebec, Canada and France. He is also commissioned to create four ceiling panels for the Energy Pavilion at Expo 67. He later publishes a humoristic monthly magazine and founds the Normand-Hudon Academy which provides correspondence courses in drawing techniques.

 Text by Lisanne LeTellier

Lucie Michel

Lyrical effusions between Heaven and Earth

Thumbnail Sketches

“Those who bother you with questions about art, inform them that there is more to it than being a good craftsman, you also need something no-one can teach you… sensitivity… charm… poetry. This we carry inside ourselves.” – Renoir

May I begin by stating that viewing a Lucie Michel painting fills me with an almost indescribable sensation of absolute delight! A sentiment simultaneously so tender and powerful that I am overwhelmed by its intensity. The tasty colours Lucie Michel introduces into her landscapes resonate like a song of freedom leading you on a journey towards impromptu emotions. But who is this artist whose paintings I have discovered on Saint-Pierre Street in Quebec city?

Text by Michel Bois

Lucie Michel is represented by Galerie d’art Internationale à Québec, Galerie Art & Style in Baie-Saint-Paul, Dimension Plus in Montreal et Koyman Galleries in Ottawa. To communicate with the artist via internet: www.luciemichel.ca

TORONTO

Even though the Globe and Mail has come out and said that the Alex Colville show is just simply too large, (isn’t that like saying there’s too much ice cream in the world?) I still think everyone should go to Alex Colville August 23-January 4, 2015 at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

Colville was well known for being his own man and that manifested itself in his style which could be described as magic realism in which there is always the sense that some kind of uneasy question is lurking around the corner. Something disquieting is about to happen that will forever change the person who witnesses it. This sense of impending doom may very well have been the result of his service as a war artist during the Second World War.

Colville was a remarkable artist and famed for his abilities as a draftsman. He had an international reputation and in Canada some of his images have become iconic as maple syrup. The exhibition is made up of more than 100 works and includes the following pictures: Horse and Train , To Prince Edward Island , Woman in Bathtub and Target, Pistol and Man .

Autumn 2014

Marie Montiel

Between Modesty and Admission

Art in a Feminine Perspective 

“Painting someone’s portrait always becomes a self-portrait of the artist who lends to it the virtues he wishes to see in the mirror.”  – Patrick Deville

Softness and sensitivity, plays of light and shadows reminiscent of Renaissance masterpieces: painter Marie Montiel’s creativity is a glorious gift to us all. A body of work full of grace and poetry! A little night music for the eyes! A vision of the human experience expressed with restraint and modesty! Without sentimentality! Without artifice! Marie Montiel is one of those painters blessed with monumental culture. Here is a fresh and acute talent that de-lights us with deliciously intimate canvases that speak to the soul. To achieve this goal, Marie Montiel carefully selects her models, most often among her group of friends: actors, singers and pain- ters, like her.

By Michel Bois

The works of Marie Montiel are available at Galerie d’art Le Vieil Art in Alma, Québec, at Galerie du Lac Brome in Knowlton, Québec, and at Galerie dʼArt Courtemanche in Magog, Québec. 

Spring 2014

Louise Calvé

When Painting is as Natural as Eating and Drinking

Great Encounter

I must confess: I fell deeply in love with the work as with the woman, the two being inherently linked. Louise Calvé has been part of Québec’s visual arts scene since the 1960s.

The distinctive artistic trajectory she has chosen warrants that we stop and take note, especially to underline the character traits of an artist that has been able to evolve rapidly between figuration and abstraction, the latter omnipresent, almost required, under the influence of the ‘Refus Global ’ movement. “Artistic expression requires total freedom, ” explains the artist. Having spent time in Paris, she unhesitatingly states that this is where a decisive turning point occurred for her.

Text by Michel Bois

François Faucher

When Vibrationism Meets the Freedom of Abstract Art

On Exhibit

Ensconced in his lakefront studio in the Appalachian mountains of Quebec, the region where he was born, François Faucher took advantage of the summer months to perfect his new artistic approach.

After fifteen years on a creative path that generated the vibrationist movement, its instigator unveils his most recent foray into abstraction with works that undoubtedly still bear his distinctive signature.

Texte de Dominic Villeneuve 

Michel Mecteau

Vivid colours and curved shapes

Delight in discovery

A man of few words, Michel Mecteau nevertheless speaks volume through his brushes as he reveals a universe essentially composed of brilliant colours and graceful arabesques.

Facing the canvas, the artist’s creative verve is almost boundless, nurtured by an eye that constantly views all that surrounds him in terms of subjects and values. Definitely figurative, his landscapes nonetheless radiate an atmosphere of enchantment rendered in a vibrant palette that goes beyond reality and generous compositions where omnipresent curves lead the eye into graceful waltz. Typical Quebec heritage houses thread along winding roads, forming a lengthy coloured necklace, bordered by imposing mountains with rugged  hillsides.

 Text by Lisanne Le Tellier

Richard Savoie

Studio visite

After twenty years at his craft, highly regarded pastellist Richard Savoie felt a need to realign his artistic direction, which prompted him to abandon the use of a medium that had garnered him enviable success.

Born in Moncton in 1959 and raised in an artistic environment – works of his uncle Roméo Savoie hang in the collection of the National Gallery of Canada – he studied with Gabrielle Messier, assistant to Ozias Leduc, and Yolande Lefebvre, thus supplementing his innate talent with masterful technical skills that ensured his renown. Then one day he suddenly feels the urge to move on to something else. He abandons pastels and turns to oil painting, which means he has to learn a whole new technique, from the use a brush to harmonizing colours and, most importantly, rendering light.

Text by Catherine Guex

Sean Rudman

Painting the inner beauty of beings and things

Great Encounter

“Art has for object to infuse sentiments in us rather than express them.” – Henri Bergson

For a great many art historians and critics, inventiveness in painting is a thing of the past since they believe everything has already been done and said, and this, as much in regards to theory and technique as to mediums used and themes developed. Hence, it is the contention of many artists emerging from the academic world that creative painting must necessarily go through the computer mill to ensure some sort of definition of innovation aiming at durability. Th is being said, it is a fact that the art of painting has for many years been subjected to a turmoil of opinions. But wouldn’t true audacity rather consist of letting discussions abate and allowing the mind to impress the human hand movement with the leisurely distillation of emotion and spirituality? Obviously, aspiring to suspend time in its tracks is a concept artist Sean Rudman has totally grasped and mastered.

Text by Michel Bois

Lise Labbé

Ode to Simplicity

Studio Visit

In a La Presse article dated April 14th 2014, Montréal Canadians General Manager, Marc Bergevin, mentions a painting he has purchased that follows him everywhere: a canvas depicting children playing hockey in a lane, painted by Lise Labbé. The artist was overtaken with emotion as she read this statement. “There is no better tonic than the acknowledgement of the public.” For this hockey enthusiast, the compliment was even more soothing.

Abonnez-vous au contenu de notre site internet pour lire ce texte. Subscribe to our Website content to read more

 Text by Isabelle Gauthier

Le Balcon d’Art, Saint-Lambert

Chase Gallery, Beaconsfield

Galerie 2000, Montréal

Galerie Iris, Baie-St-Paul

L’Art-iste, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu

Galerie Robert Senneville, Sherbrooke

Koyman Galleries, Ottawa

Claude Langevin

The Golden Era

Painting a Country

“At the time, children followed in their parents’ footsteps,” reminisces Claude Langevin. Like many others, he started his professional career on this principle. Then, with audacity and perseverance, he branched off onto his own path, something few people ever did.

Son of a medical doctor and one of five siblings, Claude Langevin began studying medicine, engaged on a path set by his father and already followed by his eldest brother. “I studied medicine for a year and soon came to understand that it wasn’t a career for me. I had been painting since the age of 14, and that was what I loved doing. The news was difficult to accept for my family.” To discard such a secure career option for one that was perceived as marginal seemed like pure folly. But we were in the early 60s, when a wind of freedom and change had started to sweep Québec. Claude Langevin, then known under his real name of Paul Viens, was about to embark on this wave of artistic renewal that celebrated local talent.

Text by Isabelle Gauthier 

Suzanne Lavigne

A World of Beauty and Inner Peace

Delight in discovery

Since she started painting, Suzanne Lavigne has been fascinated with the fantastic discoveries the medium constantly provides.

The whole process, for her, is a profound experience where she abandons herself to her creative inspiration. The demands of everyday life simply fade away while her artistic sensitivity takes hold of her being. She becomes a spectator, aware of the nascent canvas taking shape under her eyes. Through her spontaneity of gesture, distinctive of abstracts impressionists, emerges a dialogue between the tools of the trade, the canvas supports and the acrylic pigments. Results often exceed her expectations as the freshly painted canvas reflects her inner spirit and deepest feelings.

 Text by Helene Caroline Fournier

José Duclos

Capturing what’s Invisible to the Eye

Delight in Discovery 

Rendering the invisible perceptible to others, share with them her sensibilities, what captivates and enchants her, is the artistic path José Duclos has taken and continues to follow with renewed en- thusiasm and happiness. The delicate lightness and translucency of watercolours allow her to express, with equal eloquence, intimacy and outrageousness, shadow and light, fullness and emptiness. She adores the unpredictability of the medium, the effects of colour and water, tonalities that blend on the humid paper and metamor- phose themselves during the drying process. Abonnez-vous au contenu de notre site internet pour lire ce texte. Subscribe to our Website content to read more

By Catherine Guex

joseduclos.com

*Suggested reading: “La passagère du vent”, a fascinating autobiography published by Albin Michel (2003). 

Pauline Paquin

Living in a Children’s World

On Exhibit 

One day, as children ran out of school, an aspiring artist happened to notice them. Their joy, their lightness of being, their carefree attitude captured her attention and this expression of pure joy became her leitmotiv. 

Pauline Paquin‘s canvases are filled with childhood moments of daily life. Her colourful scenes, with their lot of naivety, are pleasing for the eyes and inevitably generate smiles. “Children colour my life,” says the artist whose career spans three decades. It is the essence of the artist to marvel at mere details that are generally overlooked by the masses. She channels her inspiration onto the canvas, highlighting and sealing her final vision in full colours.  Abonnez-vous au contenu de notre site internet pour lire ce texte. Subscribe to our Website content to read more

By Isabelle Gauthier

Pauline Paquin is represented by:  

 Galerie Pauline T. Paquin, St-Sauveur
Galerie Le Balcon d’Art, Saint-Lambert
Galerie 2000, Montréal
Chase Art Gallery, Beaconsfield
Galerie 88, Vancouver, à Artym, Vancouver
Galerie La Pinsonnière, La Malbaie

KINGSTON

Meanwhile down in Kingston, the quiet largesse of influential alumni has been slow ly transforming Queen’s University’s Agness Etherington Art Centre into a major North American hub for European painting and one of the largest repositories for European art in Canada.

Rembrandt’s Circle: Making History, running until December 30, 2014 makes this clear. The exhibition examines how Rembrandt and his circle worked in narra- tive or historical genres. Half the works in the show stem from the 68 works which were recently donated by Alfred and Isabel Bader which are joining the 130 earlier pieces the couple has donated.

Spring 2014

TORONTO

They’ve gone hog wild in Hogtown over Alex Colville and so they should. Colville died last July and now the Art Gallery of Ontario is mounting the largest exhibition of the artist’s work to date in his honour. Alex Colville August 23-July 4, 2015. Colville was well known for being his own man and that manifested itself in his style which could be described as magic realism in which there is always the sense that some kind of uneasy question is lurking around the corner. Something disquieting is about to happen that will forever change the person who witnesses it. This sense of impending doom may very well have been the result of his service as a war artist during the Second World War.

Colville was a remarkable artist and famed for his abilities as a draftsman. He had an international reputation and in Canada some of his images have become iconic as maple syrup. The exhibition is made up of more than 100 works and includes the following pictures: Horse and Train, To Prince Edward Island, Woman in Bathtub and Target, Pistol and Man.

Summer 2014

LO

Use of the Golden Ratio

Art and the Sea

LO was born in France in 1964. He spent his childhood in Gorcy, a quaint Lorraine village near Longwy. As a child he dreamed of becoming a cartoonist. He obtains his bachelor’s degree in micromechanics and then leaves for the Côte d’Azur where he works seasonally as camp counsellor. His childhood dream remains with him, although surf, wind and sea have temporarily dampened his interest. He finally enrols with the School of Fine Arts in Toulon, France, but only upon completion of his first fresco, painted in Côte d’Azur in 1989, does he seriously consider pursuing a professional artistic career as a painter.

 Text by HélèneCaroline Fournier

Teresa Nice

Nice Bold Luminous Painting in the Classical Tradition

Artist Profile

Toronto-based painter Teresa Nice paints bold luscious luminescent still lifes and the occasional portrait. Once, as an experiment, she painted a four foot by six foot full length portrait of two adolescent boys, Dex and Eric. Nice doesn’t think she will do another large painting because it took too long to paint and because her studio is small, she had a hard time backing up far enough to get a really good look at the work while she was doing it.

Text by Noel Meyer

Teresa Nice is represented by the Westmount Gallery of Toronto

Michel Soulières

For Others to See

Contemporary Realism

« Abstraction lives in its own dimension and time. It only becomes a work of art through an artist’s unguarded actions… »

– André Malraux

Michel Soulières has a passion for painting. A need that must absolutely be filled, an irresistible obsession, almost a compulsion! In his sleep, he dreams about the joys of painting. Early in the morning, before making breakfast for his children, he tries to capture the images that came to him during the night. Otherwise, his creative élan must be relegated to the weekends and any other free moments when he is not working as a house painter, a job that helps provide for daily necessities and at which he excels notably when marble and granite faux finishes are involved. The latter, needlessto- say, he mostly performs in prestigious locations and on a large scale.

 Text by Michel Bois

Michel Soulières is represented by the Beauchamp Galleries in Québec and in Toronto.

Claudine Hébert

Undisciplined and Timeless Art

Great Encounter

“Life is simple for those who do not seek to understand, because they are either naïve or very intelligent. But those that are neither naïve enough, nor intelligent enough, do not find any answer to their questions.” – Samuel-Joseph Agnon

Claudine Hébert’s distinctive paintings prove that there is no need to travel very far to find yourself in a different universe. The voyage takes form in the painter’s head and is reflected in her art. Too bad for those who cannot comprehend! To paint spontaneously, without any set theory or specific knowledge, classifies the artist as a “naïve” painter. To paint the collective subconsciousness or daily life by instinct, while being totally aware of effects of colour, of rules of proportion and composition, attaches the “popular art” label. Trained as a graphic designer, Claudine Hébert, sails between the expressive colours, the humour, the knowledge and the sense of wonder inherent to both appellations. The painter, thus, transcends the genres. And, as is true for all Naïve and Popular artists, she wishes to bequeath spectators with important moments of her own life.

 Text by Michel Bois

Claudine Hébert is represented by Galerie Jeannine Blais, 102 Main Street, North Hatley.

Gisèle Rivard

Light ad infinitum

Delight in Discovery

Gisèle Rivard has long been aware that all things are broader in scope than solely perceived through the senses. Fascinated with the role light plays in our living systems, she goes as far as analyzing the optical spectrum to better understand its principles, much as a scientist tries to comprehend the manifestations of various environmental phenomena to better integrate their laws. “The source of light lies at a great distance, it comes from the stars and has a far-reaching influence on our lives. Light’s energy is essential to us, for without it, we simply can’t distinguish anything. It’s extraordinarily interesting! ”

 Text by Lisanne LeTellier

Gisèle Rivard’s works can be seen on the websites of Académie Internationale des Beaux-Arts du Québec, Société canadienne de l’aquarelle, as well as her own virtual gallery. They are also found at Galerie Vigneault in Repentigny.

For the long weekend, we are pleased to offer full access to Lise Labbé paper.

It will be available until Monday, September 1^st .  You have the weekend to read, share and discover this artist appreciated by many collectors including Marc Bergevin, CEO of Canadian hockey team.

Click the blue button below to read the article.

Josée Gauthier

Tell me a Story

Art in a Feminine Perspective

 Artist Josée Gauthier’s work can best be described as a palette of vibrant colours where faceless figures are the main actors. Whimsical and Zen, her paintings are like open windows on a brighter world.

 Text by Isabelle Gauthier

Josée Gauthier is represented by: Centre d’affaires Excel, Laval and Studio JoGarts, Bois-des-Filions

Yves Ayotte

Painting in Weightlessness

Great Encounter 

” Painting a landscape means transposing the sensation of energy and movement it procures to the painter. “ – Henri Bergson

Yves Ayotte was born in 1955 in Bois-des-Filion, in the Laurentians. Shortly thereafter his family moved to Three-Rivers where the future artist spends most of his youth into adulthood. Enamoured with painting from a very young age, in 1978 he chooses the path of creation by enrolling in a BA visual arts program dispensed by Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières. However, the curriculum, at that time, is mostly geared towards the exploration of materials and geometric abstraction, and in no way touches on the tech- nique the painter wished to acquire.

The artist thus found himself forced to develop his own technique, in a self-taught manner and rather secretly, painting being regarded then as a mere hobby by his family and society at large. Indeed, he felt he had to check his enthusiasm in view of the general bias then held against the practice of art which, it was contended, necessarily marginalized the artist. And this, even though his own father, who worked as a policeman, was a direct cousin of the master Léo Ayotte!

By Michel Bois

Yves Ayotte is represented by: Galerie Iris, in Baie-Saint-Paul, Qc.,
Galerie Christine Genets, in Cap-Santé, Qc.,
Galerie Les règles de l’art, in Saint-Sauveur, Qc.,
Galerie Lumière au Pinceau, in Grand-Mère, Qc. 

yvesayotte.com

Doug Purdon

likes to pump up his colours

Painting a country 

Doug Purdon likes to paint the sea and landscapes but when it comes right down to it he prefers to paint the sea, partly because of its propensity for atmospherics.

He does the occasional urban landscape and enjoys doing it, but really he prefers the sea, the sky and usually a boat or two or some figures. “I love the water, I love the sea, I love the sky! There is so much colour you can get into them and I love the movement,” says Purdon who usually paints 20-22 paintings a year. “The maritime coasts of Canada, Britain and Scotland are some of my favorite painting places.”

Text by Noel Meyer

Aeolus and Annabelle

Annabelle Marquis

Art in a feminine perspective

To feel simultaneously sucked-in and blown-away while contemplating a work of art is undoubtedly an uncommon analogy. The breathtaking atmospheric works of Annabelle Marquis could certainly be qualified as ethereal but the sensory perception they induce is so complete, it doesn’t require further explanation.

In brilliant displays of colours and contrasts, her paintings harmoniously generate opposite qualifiers: airy while sombre and colourful, soft and forceful, tranquil and agitated. Far from being concerned with these antinomies, the artist gives free reign to her inspiration and readily follows the fl ow of her creative gesture. “I start each work by setting the composition. Once all elements are in place, the painting slowly reveals itself.”

Text by Isabelle Gauthier

Maurice Le Bel (1898-1963)

A Legitimate Career Path – From Earthy Reality to Abstraction

On Exhibit

“An avant-garde artist is in opposition with the existing system.” – Ionesco

“When you’ve reached the other shore, help others to reach it” – Bouddha

Early 20th century Québecois artists have depicted women, landscapes, scenes of daily life as well as still-life in various media such as engraving, painting and sculpture. Sometime later a few adepts of Cubism integrated a geometrical dimension, void of references, to their art. Then came the Surrealists, lead by Alfred Pellan, with their imaginary and dreamlike creations. Finally, the Abstract Automatists of the Refus Global movement, formed by Borduas, Riopelle, Ferron, Gauvreau, Barbeau and others, enjoy some renown and pave the way for the Plasticiens with Molinari as their national flag bearer. This constitutes, in short, the essence of what we today call the School of Montréal.

Text by Michel Bois

For information, please contact Mr. Richard Foisy, exhibition curator at Letbridge Exhibition Centre in Saint-Laurent and author of the catalogue published by Fides, and/or Mrs. Céline Le Merlus, Musée des maîtres et artisans du Québec, at 514-747-7367, extension 7102. – conservationnaq.qc.ca

Yvette Boulanger

A Body of Work that Flows Like a River

Painting a Country

« To paint is to cooperate with earth: it is imprinting a landscape with personal human sensibility that is thus forever modied.» – Marguerite Yourcenar

What a fantastic meeting! Most importantly, what an extraordinary body of work! It will have taken me three whole days to overcome the intense emotion I felt upon meeting this exceptional painter and beco-ming aware of her artistic creation and finally be able to jot down the first few words of the present text. Here is a landscape artist of the calibre of such masters as Ayotte, Rousseau, Thompson, to name a few. Yvette Boulanger’s contemporary artworks also convey a message of “green consciousness”, her themes mostly revolving around preservation of natural environments and wilderness; which places her work on a plane of social awareness that is currently highly relevant. She is also totally commit- ted to the protection of ancestral homes and barns that are part of Québec’s built heritage. In fact, I was welcomed by the ar- tist in her self-restored three-hundred-year- old home that constitutes a fabulous show- case for her art which she polishes each and everyday till it shines like a diamond and flows like a river.  Abonnez-vous au contenu de notre site internet pour lire ce texte. Subscribe to our Website content to read more

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Yvette Boulanger is represented by Galerie Yvon Desgagnés, 1 Forget Street, Baie-St-Paul. (418) 435-3429

The catalogue entitled “Yvette Boulanger : Le paysage dans tous ses états” is available through Éditions Carte Blanche 

By Michel Bois

 

What a fantastic meeting! Most importantly, what an extraordinary body of work! It will have taken me three whole days to overcome the intense emotion…

André Latulippe

City Lights

Studio visite

 Old Québec has clothed its white coat and muffled up its buildings in soft silvery cotton. The snow and intense cold further mellow its tender somnolence in nonchalant calmness. A city of fleeting amorous adventures all breathing in unison the sweet fragrance of idyllic sentiments! – André Latulippe

The artist would have been a poet or an author, had painting not cast its spell over him. Bewitched by the City of Québec, the painter deems himself a populist. Born in 1940, in the working-class district of Saint- Sauveur, André Latulippe depicts anonymous figures evolving among the architectural anthology of the first French speaking city in North-America. In solidarity with those of most humble human condition within the realm of historical dimension, his work bears witness to the determination of a man shining an antique jewel until it sparkles.

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Text by Michel Bois

 

 

Old Québec has clothed its white coat and muffled up its buildings in soft silvery cotton. The snow and intense cold further mellow…

Patricia Kramer

A Clever use of contrasts

Art in a feminine perspective

The creative urge has inhabited artist Patricia Kramer for as long as she can remember. After exploring a variety of avenues, she finally found a form of expression her imagination totally embraced: painting.

From fashion design to jewellery and lamp creation, the artist was never at a loss for ideas on how to further her inventive passion. She constantly endeavoured to explore new opportunities and live out her dreams, but commercial constraints hindered her need for expansion and she craved more liberty. These varied experiences gradually outlined the path she would follow, as she gained confidence in herself, until it became evident that her plan of life could only be realized through painting. Having devoted the last eighteen months exclusively to her art, this native of Holland, who holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Québec in Three-Rivers and a college diploma in fashion design from LaSalle College, is finally able to find her true persona and reach her full potential.

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Text by Lisanne Le Tellier

The creative urge has inhabited artist Patricia Kramer for as long as she can remember. After exploring a variety of avenues…