Robert Corriveau. Sculptor. Saint-Gerard-des-Laurentides, Quebec. Active 2000 -.

The grandson of Pierre Corriveau, he is an artist in his own right and follows  the tradition set by his grandfather. His work is more thoughtful and delicate and he uses acrylics rather than oil based colors. His work, to my eye, is very distinctive from that of his grandfather. He signs his work. See the article on Pierre Corriveau.

Pierre Corriveau. Sculptor. St.-Etienne-des-Gres, Mauricie, Quebec.

Active Mid-20th Century. Maker of every sort of animal and bird carving and of many  mechanical devices (whirli-gigs and others); using ‘as found’ materials  and colors. Originally, Pierre Corriveau filled his yard with his creations, and kept his colors fresh and bright by over-painting them. Various family members helped out with colors and attaching things. His yard was a wonder to see.

Later in his life (he was born in 1889 and his vision was not good ) he was helped by his son Armand Corriveau (1925-2011),  who experienced the same vision problems, and today Pierre Corriveau’s Grandson Robert (1950- ) carries on the artistic tradition. Pierre Corriveau used scrap wood and metal in most of his work; with branches from sapling trees for legs and folded and shaped tin (from cans etc.) for the ears of animals and the wings of birds. He preferred marbles for the eyes of many of his animals and birds. Pierre Corriveau was the cover artist of ‘Les Patenteux du Quebec’  and there is an extensive article about him and his work in the book.* I have never seen a work signed by Pierre Corriveau.

An Owl by Pierre Corriveau with marble eyes and tin ears:

 

*Ref: Les Patenteux du Qubec. Louise de Grosbois, Raymonde Lamothe and Lise Nantel, Les Editions Parti Pris, Montreal, 1978.

Wilfrid Richard. Sculptor. Saint-Ubalde, Portneuf, Quebec.  Active mid 20th century.

The son of Damase Richard. Unlike many earlier artists; Wilfrid Richard was recognized during his lifetime. He continued the carving tradition began by his father and other unknown Quebec folk artists. He sculpted animals and birds as well as  people (usually in the form of ‘bas reliefs’ or relief carvings).  He carved with great charm and feeling and always painted in ‘as found’ glossy oil paint.

If you are looking at an unsigned work, and wondering about the provenance, there is a detail about the carvings of both Damase and Wilfrid Richard worth mentioning; the eyes of the animals are never applied but always carved  and with a circle carved around the eye-ball. Some years ago I collected a signed (with his usual ‘W.R.’) relief carving by Wilfrid Richard. It was of a Monk, strolling along with a jug or crock. It was of pine and dark varnished but not painted. When he did sign a work it was often simply a ‘W’ and an ‘R’ on two of the feet, and in lead pencil and these marks were prone to wearing off. Please see the article on Damase Richard. Wilfrid Richard was also known to have made painted and decorated shelves (with flowers and birds).

Wilfrid Richard had three siblings, all brothers, who also sculpted. Two of them were ; Alfred Richard (1896-1990), Joseph Richard (b. 1887).

The family continues to work and thrive as artists and sculptors. Wilfrid Richard’s daughter Marie-Jeanne Lavallee, his grandson Paul-Emile Lavallee and another grandson, Dominique Lavallee.

I am posting the link to ‘The Encyclopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America’ web site and their article on the Richard family of artists:

http://www.ameriquefrancaise.org/en/article-470/Animal_Folk_Art.html

 

A carving of a spotted dog by Wilfrid Richard:

 

And a Cow:

 

A carving of an Zebra by Wilfrid Richard:

 

The ‘W’. ‘R’. mark of Wilfrid Richard on the feet of a carving; in pencil:

 

A carving of a Flicker by Wilfrid Richard:

 

 

A Goat by Wilfrid Richard:

 

 

There are a number of carved and painted shelves attributed to Wilfrid Richard. I have never seen a signed one.

This is an example:

 

Damase Richard. Sculptor. Staint-Ubalde, Portneuf, Quebec. Active early 20th century. (1900-1920).

Father of Wilfrid Richard Damase Richard was a carver of painted wood carvings of birds, and animals; both domestic and wild. First collected by Nette Sharpe; his carvings were intensely colored in glossy ‘as found’ paint. Damase Richard was one of the first ‘named’ primitive artists of rural Quebec in the 20th century. He carved  impressions of animals and birds found on the farms and in the woods around him and was one of the founders of this tradition in Quebec. His work is rare, partly because he rarely signed his work and because it is very sought after. He was collected by Museums in Quebec and  in Hull by the Museum of Civilization.

An excellent article about the Richard family of Sculptors in Quebec from the online Encyclopedia of French Cultural Heritage in North America:

http://www.ameriquefrancaise.org/en/article-470/Animal_Folk_Art.html

The book on Wilfrid and Damase Richard (Rare and worth finding):

 

Ref: Along Quebec Highways. Tourist guide. Department of Highways and Mines. Quebec. 1930. Pictures and maps of Quebec at that time.

 

Marie-Anne Simard. Painter. Petite-Riviere-Saint-Francois, Charlevoix County, Quebec. Active 1940’s.

Marie-Anne Simard (and her sister Berthe) in the 1930’s were encouraged by Jori Smith and Jean Palardy to paint. She was self-taught and possessed a very fine sense of colour and made naive paintings of her life and family in Charlevois County. She was among the Charlevoix artists featured in the book on Charlevoix painters: Peindre un Pays Where her story is told. She was also in the film: Paintres folklorique de Charlevoix,  ( ‘Folk Painters of Charlevoix’ ) made by Jean Palardy.

Marie-Anne Simard contracted Tuberculosis and died in 1952.

 

Ref: http://www.museedecharlevoix.qc.ca/en/history-heritage/folk-art

Ref: Richard Dubé et François Tremblay, Peindre un pays: Charlevoix et ses peintres populaires,
Laprairie: Éditions Broquet, 1989.