Yvon Cote

Born: 1914  |  Died: 1995

Yvon Cote. Sculptor. Wood carver. Grande-Vallee, Quebec. Active mid to late 20th century.

Born in Petite-Anse in Quebec’s Gaspe peninsula, he lived and worked in Grande-Vallee nearby. Mr. Cote was famous for his bird sculptures but he also carved fish including Trout and Salmon and occasionally animals. (He is known to have carved at least one Noah’s Ark with its animals.)

His carvings are recognized by their very high gloss; an effect he often achieved with several coats of clear nail polish. It was a perfect medium as he used anything he had on hand to colour his carvings, from wax crayons to coloured pencils.

He sometimes signed his work with a chisel and many have a gummed label with the species and the price he sold it for. But more often they bear a 1960’s era ‘decal’ with “Souvenir Grande-Vallee” and “Yvon Cote” printed on it. (see illustrations):

Ref: Un Art Pas Si Bete. Cecile Gelinas, Musee de la Gaspesie, Quebec,1993.

A pair of Woodpeckers by Yvon Cote:

Yvon Cote. Grande-Valee, Quebec. Pair of Woodpeckers.

Yvon Cote. Grande-Vallee, Quebec. Pair of Woodpeckers.

 

A Trout and a Cormorant by Yvon Cote:

Yvon Cote. Grande-Vallee, Quebec. Trout.

Yvon Cote. Grande-Vallee, Quebec. Trout.

A carving of a Cormorant by Yvon Cote:

Yvon Cote. Grande-Vallee, Quebec. Cormorant.

Yvon Cote. Grande-Vallee, Quebec. Cormorant.

A carving of a Myrtle Warbler by Yvon Cote:

Yvon Cote. Carving of a Warbler.

Yvon Cote. Carving of a Warbler.

The lable on the tail of the Warbler:

Yvon Cote. His label on the Warbler.

Yvon Cote. His label on the Warbler.

A Rooster by Yvon Cote that is signed on the base:

Yvon Cote. Carving of a Rooster.

Yvon Cote. Carving of a Rooster.

The mark on the base. “Y. C.”:

Yvon Cote. His mark.

Yvon Cote. His mark.

Yvon Cote. Carving of a Gull with his label-mark on the base:

Yvon Cote. Carving of a Gull with marks on the base.

Yvon Cote. Carving of a Gull with marks on the base.