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.

L. Roy. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Active 1940’s – early 1950’s.

L. Roy was a Quebec flat-plane carver. He made painted carvings of Quebec characters in traditional costume. His carvings were smaller, measuring up to 5 or 6 inches high. Three examples of his work are shown below. The couple are signed L. Roy on the base.

Three carvings by L. Roy. St-Jean-Port-Joli, Que:

L. Roy. St-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Three carved figures.

R. Laurendeau. Sculptor. Woodcarver. St-Jean-Port-Joli,Quebec.  Active 1930’s – 1940’s.

R. Laurendeau was a flat-plane woodcarver. He made painted carvings of Quebec figures in traditional clothes and settings. His figures were generally smaller in size ranging from 2.5 inches to about 5.5 inches.His carvings were always painted and usually signed on the base. His work is rarely found today. Perhaps the smaller sized made them difficult to collect and keep. Some examples are shown. The first three were almost too small to sign.*

Group of three Quebec carvings by R. Laurendeau:

R. Laurendeau. Three carved Quebec figures.

The bases of three carvings:

R. Laurendeaau. The Base marks.

A signed pair of carved figures by R. Laurendeau:

R. Laurendeau. Pair of carved Quebec figures.

The mark of R. Laurendeau on the bases:

R. Lorendeau. His marks.

* R. Laurendeau was one of several Quebec flat-plane woodcarvers whose carving careers seemed to have stopped sometime in the 1940’s or in a few cases the very early 1950’s. (The second world war may have been a factor for some.)

Lucie Normand. Sculptor. Woodcarver. Montreal, Quebec. Active 1930’s – 40’s.

Lucie Normand was the sister of flat-plane woodcarver Regina Normand. Like her sister, Lucie made painted flat-plane carvings of Quebec people in traditional settings and dress. She signed her work ‘L. Normand’ in script on the base with no  place name  unlike her sister Regina  who sometimes put ‘Montreal, Quebec’. Both artists made smaller painted works; usually pairs.  The seated pair shown here  for example, measure about 3.5 inches long. Unfortunately Lucie was killed in an airplane crash and this disaster ended the Normand family carvings. (Of social interest perhaps: it would seem that these two women signed with initials for a reason. At that time there were not a lot of women carvers in their field and staying ‘anonymous’ may have been done to keep the playing field level.)

Painted carvings of a Quebec Couple by Lucie Normand:

L. Normand. Carved Quebec Couple. 1930s-40s.

Another view:

L. Normand. Carved Quebec Couple. 1930s-40s.

The mark of Lucie Normand:

L. Normand. The mark on the Quebec Couple. 1930s-40s.

The $5.00 price mark on Lucie Normand’s Quebec Couple: (See note below)

L. Normand. The price mark on the Quebec Couple. 1930s.

Note: It should be mentioned from time to time that when we are at looking at these – often quite small flat-plane woodcarvings – we will see a price on the base of the carvings. The price that the artist charged in his gallery/workshop or that the souvenir art shops charged. This small pair (3.5 in. long) by L. Normand – made in the late 1930’s was priced at $5.00 as we can see on the base. That was a fair bit of money at the time.