Portrait of Mr. Jean Letarte
Wednesday, November 23, 2016
Thursday, October 08, 2015
Tremblant riviere caché
EPlein air painting at Tremblant sector caché in mid sept with Anne Letourneau, Francois Lacas and Marie-Claude Courteau. 
Sunday, September 13, 2015
Q and A with me...
I was encouraged by Patience Brewster website to do a Q and A on myself. Patience is the artist behind her company's handmade Christmas ornaments, and she's encouraging artists to share their stories on their blogs. And I would like to thank her for initiating this. :) So Here we go...
Q. When did you start drawing? and painting?
I remember drawing gable houses when I was about 4-5 years old. I kept on doodling until I was about 8 or 9 yrs old when my father saw a rendered drawing of a German shepherd dog. I copied it off a book my father had. I guess my dad saw some talent and put me in a summer art class. I started with basic drawing and by the end of the summer I did my very first portrait. For painting, I didn't start until I was about 18 or 19 yrs old.
Q. As a child, do you recall a significant moment when you felt truly affected or inspired by any particular artwork or artist?
When I was small, I always looked up to my older brother named Jonah. Back then he would draw soldiers, tanks, war planes and ships. I was always drawn to his drawings and all that war stuff. I remembered once he drew a caricature of old earth walking with a cane. It was a neat drawing.
Q. What school or what course did you take for fine arts?
I went to University of Toronto to study fine arts. My plan was to become an art teacher in elementary or high school. I did not like my experience in University. The art program was not a right fit. Actually I didn't finish university and was in a limbo so I found myself in fashion design at Sheridan College. I also enrolled in classical animation that summer. I just had a knee operation and figured why not do animation, sit down and just draw. There I did tons of life drawing and fell in love with animation.
Q. Do you live off your art or do you have a full-time job?
My day job is a 3D animator for a vfx company north of Montreal called Hybride Technologies. I do teach art and draw/paint on the side as a hobby or passion. My goal is to eventually live off my art one day when I retire or close to retirement. :)
Q. Do you enjoy doing animation more than doing visual arts?
I love doing both. They are quite similar and in fact most art share the same structure or workflow. Drawing, painting, sculpting, animating.... they all start very basic with the blocking where everything is general and evolves into more and more complex shapes and details.
Q. What is your favorite medium or media in fine arts?
My favorite medium is oil. It is very versatile and has many ways to work with. You can paint it with layers or do an alla prima. You can do the application with brushes or a palette knife. Textured or smooth finish...so many possibilities.
My advice would be:
"Do what you like to do, do what inspires you. Set you goals high and never give up. Talent without practice and hard work will only get you so far."
Q. When did you start drawing? and painting?
I remember drawing gable houses when I was about 4-5 years old. I kept on doodling until I was about 8 or 9 yrs old when my father saw a rendered drawing of a German shepherd dog. I copied it off a book my father had. I guess my dad saw some talent and put me in a summer art class. I started with basic drawing and by the end of the summer I did my very first portrait. For painting, I didn't start until I was about 18 or 19 yrs old.
Q. As a child, do you recall a significant moment when you felt truly affected or inspired by any particular artwork or artist?
When I was small, I always looked up to my older brother named Jonah. Back then he would draw soldiers, tanks, war planes and ships. I was always drawn to his drawings and all that war stuff. I remembered once he drew a caricature of old earth walking with a cane. It was a neat drawing.
Q. What school or what course did you take for fine arts?
I went to University of Toronto to study fine arts. My plan was to become an art teacher in elementary or high school. I did not like my experience in University. The art program was not a right fit. Actually I didn't finish university and was in a limbo so I found myself in fashion design at Sheridan College. I also enrolled in classical animation that summer. I just had a knee operation and figured why not do animation, sit down and just draw. There I did tons of life drawing and fell in love with animation.
Q. Do you live off your art or do you have a full-time job?
My day job is a 3D animator for a vfx company north of Montreal called Hybride Technologies. I do teach art and draw/paint on the side as a hobby or passion. My goal is to eventually live off my art one day when I retire or close to retirement. :)
Q. Do you enjoy doing animation more than doing visual arts?
I love doing both. They are quite similar and in fact most art share the same structure or workflow. Drawing, painting, sculpting, animating.... they all start very basic with the blocking where everything is general and evolves into more and more complex shapes and details.
Q. What is your favorite medium or media in fine arts?
My favorite medium is oil. It is very versatile and has many ways to work with. You can paint it with layers or do an alla prima. You can do the application with brushes or a palette knife. Textured or smooth finish...so many possibilities.
Q. As an artist, what do you hope to convey with your work?
With my work, I always try to show the beauty within and outside. I always thought that there is always something beautiful in any subject I choose to work whether its a portrait of a girl, still life or a simple landscape. I believe we see and know beauty and it is innate in us what beauty is.
Q.
What memorable responses have you had to your work?
I remembered someone telling me that I was using a projector. lol
Q. What is your dream project?
I have too many! but one of them would be working on a fresco. Another is doing a sculpture on marble. Another is a sculture in bronze and get to do the bronze casting process. Another challenge would be to start an art school dedicated to classical arts. I also would like to learn how to make a violin!
Q. What artists, of any medium, do you admire? (Famous or not!)
This is another long list... lol. Off the top of my head would be Richard Schmid... Mark Boedges, Daniel Keys, Marc Dellassio, Jeremy Lipking, Daniel Greene, Bill Cone, Frank Serrano, Carol Marine and the list goes on...And there are still plenty I have yet to discover!
Q. What advice do you give to other artists starting out their journey as a visual artist?
My advice would be:
"Do what you like to do, do what inspires you. Set you goals high and never give up. Talent without practice and hard work will only get you so far."
Festival de Peinture à Mascouche 2015
This year being one of the administrators I only showed several works at the festival de peinture a Mascouche. Lots of work running around making sure everything is going smooth. I was in charge of the life drawing session on Saturday afternoon.
wonderful weather we had on the long weekend. Lots of sunshine but a little bit of the hot side.
Life drawing session saturday afternoon.
full house, all chairs were taken!
winners and prizes for the kids category.
Alexandre, our pianist for the weekend. She is the son of our secretary, Martine.
Master class given by Alain Massicotte on Sunday.
Pastels portraits by Alain Massicotte
Claude de Lorimier giving a demo outside on plein air painting.
Richard Belanger, our invited artist giving a demo on watercolor.
one of the artists working on a piece for the silent auction.
works for the silent auction. All benefits goes towards the festival.
my contribution to the silent auction
Jacques Sevigny in full determination. photo taken by Jean-Philippe Leroux
Some recent plein air
These were done recently. First 2 at the parc de Grand Couteau in Mascouche. Next 2 are from Vieux Beloeil.
Gloriette at the parc 6x8 oil
the bench oil 6x8
Maison Pierre-Tessier 6x8 oil
Marina vieux Beloeil 6x8 oil
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
Plein air in Tremblant
I was very lucky to be invited again this year to paint in tremblant along Quebec's talented artists. Michel normandeau was the mastermind of this awesome event. It was to celebrate 100 years of plein air painting where Maurice Cullen and edwin Holgate went to paint.
Second day was spent at the river cachee. Transportation was done by snowmobile. Got to ride on a trailer towed by the snowmobile. Fun but hard on the behind.
Last day Sunday, slept in a bit and did a last on a trail beside the lake in old Tremblant, view with the church.
Sunday, December 07, 2014
Life drawings from Blainville and Mascoche
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)