Nicole Deschenes Duval. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Active 1960’s – .

Nicole Deschenes Duval is a flat-plane woodcarver. She apprenticed at the School of Jean-Julien Bourgault in the 1960 where she developed her amazing talent and the ability to carve children. She reproduces her wood carvings in bronze and stone-dust.

Ref: A short film in French with Marcel Guay by la Société québécoise d’ethnologie:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8kHd6RwIo4

There is a fine description of her time studying at Jean-Julien Bourgault’s school in St-Jean-Port-Joli and arare interesting glimpse of her days there..

Gaetan Hovington. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Tadoussac, Quebec. Active 1960’s – .

Gaetan Hovington is a flat-plane woodcarver. Trained at the  Bourgault school  in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec, he carves Quebec people in traditional dress at their occupations and in later years the more dramatic sea and land animals.. His carvings are always in the round and usually larger sized. His carvings are full of character, always signed and only very rarely in colour.

A carving in Pine of a Gentleman. By Gaetan Hovington. 1970’s:

Gent in Pine by Gaetan Hovington. 1970s.

The Mark:

G. Hovington. Quebec. The Mark.

A much later work. Beluga by Gaetan Hovington. 2007. In paint:

G. Hovington. Quebec. Beluga In paint.

The Mark:

G. Hovington. Quebec. Beluga The mark and date 2007.

Ref: A short film in French with Gaetan Hovington by la Société québécoise d’ethnologie.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSo-GtHcj3c

From their excellent series of films:  ‘Les artistes en art populaire de Charlevoix’:

http://ethnologiequebec.org/categorie/videos/

Chas. Le Grand. Sculptor. Woodcarver. St-Jean-Port-Joli (?), Quebec. Active 1930’s.

Shas. Le Grand made painted flat-plane carvings of Quebec people in traditional dress. His work can be considered extremely rare. (I have only ever seen one example.)*

Shown below is a signed example of a Quebec couple dated 1938 and marked ‘Hand Carved by Chas. Le Grand Quebec’.

A carved Quebec Couple by Chas. Le Grand:

Chas. Le Grand. Carved Quebec Couple. Signed, dated 1938.

The mark of Chas. Le Grand, Quebec:

Chas. Le Grand. Carved Quebec Couple Signed dated 1938. The mark.

*.Chas. Le Grand was one of several Quebec flat-plane woodcarvers whose carving careers seemed to have stopped sometime in the 1940’s, if not at the end of the 1930’s. (The second world war may have been a factor for some.)

Marcel Guay. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Active mid to late 20th century.

Marcel Guay was considered one of the master flat-plane carvers of St-Jean-Port-Joli in the 1970’s and 1980’s.  After studying for 4 years at the studio of Andre Bourgault he opened a studio with two other former pupils, Noel Guay – his brother and Maurice Harvey. Marcel Guay specialized in carving Quebec people at work and play; from the farm fields to playing checkers. He became well known and often accepted commissions. A commissioned work is shown below.He always signed his work – with a stamp and/or a chisel on the base.

It should be noted that, like the Bourgaults before him, Marcel Guay often had students working under him  learning woodcarving. Their work is sometimes seen with the imprint “Atelier Marcel Guay” and no other mark. If it is by Marvel Guay himself, it will be signed with his name and usually with a chisel.

Abraham Lincoln by Marcel Guay:

Carving of Abraham Lincoln. Marcel Guay.

The marks of Marcel Guay:

Abraham Lincoln. Marcel Guay Mark with chisel.

In script and the stamp on the base with the date:

Abraham Lincoln Marcel Guay. The Mark in script.

From ‘Le Guide des Artisans Createurs du Quebec. 1972 ed. pg 200:

From Le Guide des Artisans Createurs du Quebec. 1972 Ed.

Ref: A short film in French with Marcel Guay by la Société québécoise d’ethnologie:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FidNPnPgIv4

From their excellent series of films:  ‘Les artistes en art populaire de Charlevoix’:

http://ethnologiequebec.org/categorie/videos/

Ref: Le Guide des Artisans Createurs du Quebec. J. P. Payette, Editions La Press, 1972.

Alphonse Riel. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Montreal – Laurentians, Quebec. Active 1950’s – ?

The name Alphonse Riel is found on a painted flat-plane relief carving – apparently one of a series of carvings made by him (and others) and sold in the  middle of the last century. They were part of an  association of woodcarvers called ‘Art Carvers Associated’. They made typical Quebec and Laurentian scenes of cabins and country-side. An example by Alphonse Riel is shown below with images of the pamphlet accompanying the carvings.

A carving of a cabin in the Laurentians by Alphonse Riel:

Alphonse Riel. Flat-Plane Relief Carving. Art Carvers Associated.

The mark and the pamphlet:

Alphonse Riel. Flat-Plane Relief Carving.

The pamphlet:

Alphonse Riel. Art Carvers Associated Label.