Mme Iriene Belanger. Sculptor. Flat-Plane woodcarver. Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Active 1960’s – .

Like many women in S.J.P.J.; Iriene Belanger made wood carvings to pass the time and augment her income. Her mark is seen on smaller works of flat-plane carving from Saint-Jean-Port-Joli; most often on jewelry: ear rings, brooches, etc. (These can be found both painted and unpainted.). A sample of this work is shown below with her mark attached.

A carved broach by Mme Ireine Belanger. With her mark on the sleeve:

Ireine Belanger. Flat- Plane Carver. S.J.P.J., Qc.

The reverse:

Ireine Belanger. Flat-Plane carver. S.J.P.J., Qc.

Omer Audet. Sculptor. Woodcarver. La Malbaie, Quebec. Active 2005 – 2010.

Omer Audet made large sized carvings of people, animals and birds  on his farm in La Malbaie on Quebec’s north shore. He started carving in his eighties and worked into his 90’s. His works were large, and detailed and can only be described as Impressionism at its naïve best. Collectors are particularly drawn to his carvings of swans and other yard birds as well as his people who are distinctly carved and with character.

He can be seen at work on his farm in two YouTube videos listed here:

(7) Omer Audet, Studio Visit in La Malbaie, Charlevois, Canada – YouTube

(7) Studio of Omer Audet, Artist in La Malbaie, Charlevoix, Quebec, Canada – YouTube

Isreal Menard. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Sailor. Saint-Flavie, Quebec. Active Mod 20th C – .

Isreal Menard was a sailor. Like many sailors – especially Quebec sailors – he carved and whittled to pass the time. When he returned to his village (Saint-Flavie) he opened a little shop and sold souvenir carvings to passing travellers.  And he taught his son in law Lionel Tremblay his arts.*

Some words below from Isreal Menard’s grandson :                          “Une tradition familiale: Notre grand-père, Isarël Ménard était navigateur. Durant ses voyages sur les bateaux, il s’amusait à sculpter des petits morceaux de bois comme ‘hobby’. De retour dans son village natal, il a continué à développer son talent pour la sculpture et il a ouvert une petite boutique de cadeaux dans sa demeure pour y vendre ses sculptures. Par la suite, il a enseigné à notre père, Lionel Tremblay, quelques leçons de base de la sculpture.

“C’est dans un modeste atelier de 20 pieds carrés situé à L’Islet-sur-Mer que notre pèreLionel et notre mère Henriette Ménard-Tremblay prennent la relève, au début des années 60,en fabriquant des canards de bois (leurres).”

• See the entry for Lionel Tremblay. Woodcarver.

Andre Boucher. Sculptor. Flat-plane woodcarver. S. J. P. Joli, Quebec. Active 1970’s.

Andre Boucher was a flat-plane woodcarver – trained at Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. He was known for his flat-plane souvenir work and also painted figural and relief carvings of considerable sophistication.

A painted ‘bas relief’ by Andre Boucher:

Andre Boucher. Relief, L’ange Luce. S.J.P.J.

An earlier unpainted 1970’s work with the mark:

Andre Boucher. Flat Plane Fisherman. 1970’s.

The mark:

Stanley Boyd. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Morin Heights, Quebec. Active 1930’s.

Stanley Boyd made flat-plane carvings of  Quebec figures in the Saint-Jean-Port-Joli tradition. He often signed his work ‘S. Boyd, Morin Heights’ in pencil with no date. The bases were applied with small nails in the manner of C.J.Trygg and my understanding is that he learned to carve from Carl-Johan Trygg in St. Sauveur, Quebec. Signed examples are shown below.

Stanley Boyd also made painted relief carvings of Laurentian scenes – usually in winter time.

A relief carving of a cabin in winter by Stanley Boyd to be shown here.

(Photo by Anita Baskin with thanks.)

A carved pair of Quebec figures by Stanley Boyd, Morin Heights: 

S. Boyd. Morin Heights.

S. Boyd. Morin Heights.