R. LeRoy. Sculptor. Montreal, Quebec.  Verdun? Active 1930’s – 1950’s. There is not a lot that we know about this artist. It appears that he worked in Montreal, Quebec or in Verdun. (And/or in Ottawa)  He (or she) was a skillful artist who carved and painted the carvings in great detail. The carvings are done in the flat-plane manner that originated in Scandinavia but with much more attention paid to the facial expressions. And to their coloring. The eyes are usually painted. They are more realistic. The carvings are usually signed on the base in script: “Handcarved by R. LeRoy”  with a capital R in LeRoy. (See article on J. LeRoy.)

Here is an example of R. LeRoy’s work:

R. LeRoy. Sculptor. Montreal, Quebec 1930’s.

A detail showing the signature on the base:

R. LeRoy. Sculptor. Montreal, Quebec. Signature.

John William Purvis. Sculptor. Valois, Montreal, Quebec.  Active mid 20th century.

Flat-plane wood carvings, done in the Trygg manner, are occasionally found that are signed in hand on the base: “Hand carved by Purvis. Canada.”  They are generally, but not always,  found in the Montreal, Quebec area. They date from the early  1930’s to the late 1950’s and are always well painted. These carvings were made by John William Purvis and they were painted by his wife Dorothy Stockton (B. 1901, Lakefield, Quebec). John Purvis was born in Woodstock, New Brunswick and moved to Verdun and then Valois, Quebec, now a suburb of Montreal. John Purvis carved the traditional Quebec figures and also Historical ones as well (Military and political). His Scots carvings of kilted figures will have the Tartan name on the base. The image below is of two such carvings. The Scottish figure is of a Cameron Highlander; the Military one is, perhaps, General MacArthur. An interesting note: the bases of the Purvis carvings are applied rather than carved into the figure (similar to the Tryggs and ‘Pat’ Hannah). Unlike ‘Pat’ Hannah and the Trygg carvers; they are glued onto the figure rather than nailed.

Two Purvis carvings. Signed on the base “Cameron” and: “Hand carved by Purvis, Canada”:

Two carvings by John William Purvis. L: A Cameron Highlander. And R. A Military figure. 1940’s.

REF: My thanks to the family of the artists who have helped me with information and dates and family memories.

Armand T Bouchard. Sculptor. Roxton Pond, Quebec. Active mid-20th century.

Black Bears by Armand T Bouchard:

Armand T Bouchard, Roxton Falls, Quebec.

Jean-Yves Bouchard. Sculptor. Wood carver. Causapscal, Matapedia, Quebec.  Active late 20th century.

Jean-Yves Bouchard was a carver of birds. His mark is on a painted wood carving of a Robin and a Bird tree.

Anne-Marie Matte. Fabric Artist. Saint-Basile-de-Portneuf, Quebec. Maker of Needle Paintings (Peintre a l’Aiguille). Active 1930’s to c. 1960.

Anne-Marie Matte began working with her needle around 1925. By the early 1930’s she was producing her remarkable ‘Needle Paintings’ for the Canadian Handcrafts Guild galleries in Toronto and Montreal, as well as the Gallery L’Auberge du Faubourg in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, managed by Leonard Bourgault (one of the family of sculptors). She worked with Silk thread on Linen and preferred working traditional Quebec scenes; often  establishing working relationships with formal artists. Horatio Walker was one such artist who took an interest in the work of Mlle Matte. She gained an international reputation; in New York (showing at the 1939 World’s Fair) and in Europe and England. She was a medal winner at the 1952 International Art Fair in Washington, DC. She signed her works: “Anne – M. Matte” in Silk thread in the lower right and always had a label with the title and her name including her married name (Desrosiers) on the reverse of the frame.

Many of her works were of those traditional Quebec scenes and customs  documented by Edmond Massicotte in his books of prints, and by other ethnologists working in that field. She also made portraits of people at work and playing.

An Example of her work (Photo Galarie Molinais):

Anne Marie Matte. St-Basile-de-Portneuf, Quebec. (after Horatio Walker)

Another of A Monk in the Wine cellar: 

Anne-Marie Matte.The Monk.

The Label:

Anne Marie Matte. The Monk the label.

(Ref: Artisans du Quebec. Jean-Marie Gauvreau, Les Editions du Bien Public, Montreal, Quebec,1940.)

(Ref: Nos Canadiens D’Autrefois. Edmond-J. Massicotte, Librairie Granger et Freres, Montreal. 1923.)