Armand T Bouchard. Sculptor. Roxton Pond, Quebec. Active mid-20th century.

Black Bears by Armand T Bouchard:

Armand T Bouchard, Roxton Falls, Quebec.

Jean-Yves Bouchard. Sculptor. Wood carver. Causapscal, Matapedia, Quebec.  Active late 20th century.

Jean-Yves Bouchard was a carver of birds. His mark is on a painted wood carving of a Robin and a Bird tree.

Anne-Marie Matte. Fabric Artist. Saint-Basile-de-Portneuf, Quebec. Maker of Needle Paintings (Peintre a l’Aiguille). Active 1930’s to c. 1960.

Anne-Marie Matte began working with her needle around 1925. By the early 1930’s she was producing her remarkable ‘Needle Paintings’ for the Canadian Handcrafts Guild galleries in Toronto and Montreal, as well as the Gallery L’Auberge du Faubourg in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, managed by Leonard Bourgault (one of the family of sculptors). She worked with Silk thread on Linen and preferred working traditional Quebec scenes; often  establishing working relationships with formal artists. Horatio Walker was one such artist who took an interest in the work of Mlle Matte. She gained an international reputation; in New York (showing at the 1939 World’s Fair) and in Europe and England. She was a medal winner at the 1952 International Art Fair in Washington, DC. She signed her works: “Anne – M. Matte” in Silk thread in the lower right and always had a label with the title and her name including her married name (Desrosiers) on the reverse of the frame.

Many of her works were of those traditional Quebec scenes and customs  documented by Edmond Massicotte in his books of prints, and by other ethnologists working in that field. She also made portraits of people at work and playing.

An Example of her work (Photo Galarie Molinais):

Anne Marie Matte. St-Basile-de-Portneuf, Quebec. (after Horatio Walker)

Another of A Monk in the Wine cellar: 

Anne-Marie Matte.The Monk.

The Label:

Anne Marie Matte. The Monk the label.

(Ref: Artisans du Quebec. Jean-Marie Gauvreau, Les Editions du Bien Public, Montreal, Quebec,1940.)

(Ref: Nos Canadiens D’Autrefois. Edmond-J. Massicotte, Librairie Granger et Freres, Montreal. 1923.)

Odessa Belisle. Sculptor. Wood carver. Saint-Antoine, Quebec. Active mid-20th Century.

Odessa Belisle was a maker of Horse drawn farm wagons. He made carvings of the farm wagons and horse-drawn implements  seen around a farm in 19th century Quebec. His equipment and harnessing  was accurate and complete; from axes and cant hooks on the logging sleds to the family dog running alongside. Odessa Belisle worked with Pine wood, metal, leather and bright ‘as found’ oil based house paints. He usually signed his work in script with a pen on the bottom of the carvings: ‘Odessa Belisle, 1475 Rte 41, St. Antoine, Que.”

Here is a detail from one of Odessa Belisle’s carvings. Loading a sled with firewood (1960’s):

Odessa Belisle. Sculptor. St. Antoine, Quebec. Sleigh Carving detail.

A sleigh with a load of wood by Odessa Belisle:

Odessa Belisle. St-Antoine, QC. Carving of a Sled.

Valmont Belanger. Sculptor. Wood carver. Matane, Gaspe, Quebec. Active late 20th century.

Valmont Belanger carved small animals and birds. He was most known for his impressionist carvings of birds with movable wings that were often found for sale along the Gaspe shore. Two are pictured below. He made other, more life-like carvings. Canada Geese, often with the wings spread, and other birds found on the Gulf of the St. Lawrence. But his Gulls stay with us. He carved in Eastern White Pine and occasionally Cedar. His pcolours were latex house paint. He was very fond of polka dots. He signed his work with a stamp, in blue, that often had the date 1991 on it as well as his name. (See the separate article on this style of bird carving by Albert Saint-Laurent. http://lyleelderfolkart.com/artist-bios/albert-saint-laurent/)

Valmont Belanger. Sea Gull wood carving with movable wings:

Valmont Belanger. Sculptor. Wood Carver. Matane, Quebec. Sea Gull.

Valmont Belanger. Black and White Gull:

Valmont Belanger. Matane, Quebec. Black and White Seagull.

His mark:

Valmont Belanger. Matane, Quebec. His Mark.