Leo Fournier. Sculptor. Laprairie, Quebec. (Born: Saint-Mathias) Active 1960’s to 2004.

Leo Fournier worked and lived in Laprairie, Quebec on Montreal’s South Shore. He was a ‘body man’ and used putty a lot (‘shaping’ cars often led to ‘shaping’ carvings, I have noticed). He began sculpting in the 1960’s when he became involved in the scrap business after Expo ’67. He told me that any one with a pick-up truck could haul away scrap; so…he and a few of his pals got into the scrap business. He started using things that were too good to scrap or waste. Especially wood.

Leo Fournier played with words in his art and ‘playful’ is where his sculptures begin and end. From his ‘Bronzes’ (those carvings that he colored bronze for Museum shows) to the nude woman standing behind the middle-aged whiskered gent – his wit was in charge and on display.

He loved to have company in his sun porch and anybody could turn up; from Nettie Sharpe to the opinionated college professor. And they would talk art and other things. Leo’s trip to Leningrad where he spent two weeks at The Hermitage to see where it all began. (That’s a whole ‘nother story’ as they say.) Family controversies would break out. One was about Leo’s very first carving….was it this one….or that one….Leo left the room and returned with his very first work in wood-carving….and the discussion was over (There is an image of it below).

Ah well. Leo made many sculptures in his career. He would carve a Crow, and an Elephant; and make a carving with an Elephant on a curved table top and balanced on a man’s stomach. And he carved Bishops on thrones and piles of people (these sometimes puzzled even him). And he had a fondness for Crucifixes; he returned to the subject often. Each carving was made as full of color as was appropriate.

Leo Fournier and The Rooster. (Being re-colored here-but that’s another story) This was his largest Rooster. It was made from materials scrapped and salvaged by Leo in 1967 after the Expo.:

Leo Fournier and The Rooster.

His first work:

Leo Fournier. Carved Dart Case.

Leo Fournier. Carved Dart Case.

Leo Fournier. Laprairie Quebec. Another Rooster.

A detail from one of his “Bronze” Sculptures done for the ‘From The Heart’ exhibition at The Museum of Civilization in 1984:

Leo Fournier. Detail of a carving made for The ‘Au Fond du Coeur’ Exhibition. 1984.

More about Leo Fournier another time.

Oh Yes; a link to his work at the Museum of Civilization:

 http://collections.civilisations.ca/public/pages/cmccpublic/alt-emupublic/Display.php?irn=1343384&QueryPage=Query.php&lang=0

Henri Lajeunesse. Sculptor. Joliette, Quebec. Active mid 20th century.

Henri Lajeunesse was first collected by Nettie Sharpe in the 1970’s. He was a primitive artist and used ‘as found’ materials and colors  to make painted wood carvings  of animals and of people. His work can be found in museum collections in Ottawa and Quebec and in private collections around the country.

From the Canadian Museum of History and Civilization; Louis Cyr, Quebec’s Strongman:

http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/tresors/treasure/111eng.shtml

Felicien Levesque. Sculptor. Cacaouna, Quebec. Active mid to late 20th century.

Cacaouna is on the lower St. Lawrence shore of Quebec. Felicien Levesque was a primitive artist. He made painted carvings of birds, animals and people in every day situations. Felicien Levesque also made dioramas of life and situations that happened along these shores. Ferry boats that serviced the islands and ship-wrecks among others. They were always full of people and activity and they were often electrified to light up or even motorized. (See below.) He worked with as found materials, often using real or synthetic hair. And his eyes were always very boldly carved and/or  painted in. His carvings, often unsigned, are easily identified. (There are examples of his carved people below.) His work is very honest, very direct and very powerful.

Ref: Can. Mus. of Hist. (See the gallery at the bottom of the page):

http://www.historymuseum.ca/cmc/exhibitions/arts/art-quebec/art-quebec4_4-e.shtml

A Family Group. Wood carvings by Felicien Levesque:

Filicien levesque. Sculptor. Cacaouna Quebec.

A group of carved figures by Felicien Levesque (From 8 to 19 inches tall):

Figures by Felicien Levesque. 8 inches to 19 inches high.

A carving of a Pig by Felicien Levesque:

Felicien Levesque. A carving of a Pig.

A carving of a Ferry Boat by Felicien Levesque:

Felicien Levesque. Ferry Boat. The ‘Islander’.

The other side showing the wiring for lights:

Felicien Levesque. Ferry Boat.

And dories:

Detail of the Islander Ferry Boat by Felicien Levesque. 1970’s.