In 2000, I decided to move to Montreal. I was looking for new ideas and inspiration, and Montreal seemed to be the ticket. The art scene had a sense of excitement and immediacy. Artists were not overshadowed by bourgeois pretension and entitlement. Artworks could be found through the cafes, artist homes and street-front galleries.
An important haunt of mine during the early years in Montreal was the cafe la Porté Disparu, located in Plateau, Montreal. La Porté Disparu acted as a critical meeting place for artists, poets and musicians, discussing ideas, philosophies and politics. The cafe closed its doors in 2004.
Unfortunately, there are very few photographs of my work during this period, due to their being part of numerous collections. But I am endeavouring to collect them and will post them as they become available. But I have created partial listings of the works during these periods.
The Montreal Years: 2000-2002
During this period, much of my work was being influenced by certain minimalism in relationship to how lines formed and played off the canvas’s space, as can be witnessed in such works as Nu Vert, Nu Orange, and Nu Bleu.
Also in respect to subject matter during this period related to the nude. It was not just a simple matter of painting nudes, but how the nude (figure), played off the limitations of the canvas itself.
This can also be seen with my works on paper during this period.
The Montreal Years, (Partial List), 2000-2001
- Blue Earth, 24″ x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2001
- Nordic Landscape #1, 36″ x 24″, Oil on Canvas, 2001
- Nordic Landscape #2, 36″ x 24″, Oil on Canvas, 2001
- The Women, 48″ x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2001
- Pasquale, 48″ x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2001
- Isabelle, 48″ x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2001
- The Passenger, 36″ x 24″, Oil on Canvas, 2001
- In the Distance, 36″ x 24″, Oil on Canvas, 2001
From Barcelona to Lisbon, 2001-2002
During the winter of 2001 to 2002, my partner, Julie Beauchamp and I made our way to Europe. We spent a couple of months stationed in Barcelona, in a flat that we used as our studio, which overlooked Las Ramblas in the Gothic Section.
Two weeks were spent in Paris, three in Lisbon, one in Florence and another week crisscrossing Spain from Barcelona to Madrid, Seville and then San Sebastián (Region of Basque, Spain).
During all this time, I made extensive drawings, painting with oil of boards (10″ x 8″) and took numerous 35mm film photographs. It was near the end of this trip that I purchased my first 1.2 Megapixel Digital Camera which would influence much of my future work.
Once back in Montreal, I began painting a series of Canvases entitled From Barcelona to Lisbon, from the sketches, photos and my experience there. The series was first presented in June 2002 at Galerie Azure, Montréal, Québec.
From Barcelona to Lisbon, (Partial List), 2001-2002
- Along the Banks of San Sabatien, 48″ x 36″, 2002
- Faro #1, Oil on Canvas, 18″ x 24″, 2002
- Faro #2, Oil on Canvas, 18″ x 24″, 2002
- Sailor’s Lament, Oil on Canvas, 24″ x 36″, 2002
- Carousel, Oil on Canvas, 24″ x 36″, 2002
- Orange Trees, Oil on Canvas, 24″ x 36″, 2002
- On the Way to Madrid, Oil on Canvas, 18″ x 24″, 2002
- Quebec, Oil on Canvas, 24″ x 36″, 2002
- Ontario, Oil on Canvas, 24″ x 36″, 2002
The Montreal Years, 2003-2004
During this period, two critical series was created. One of the series entitled Beyond Impressionism focused specifically on the use of oils and lead on paper. As with the works explored in The Montreal Years: 2000-2002, (top of this page). The subject matter returned to the figure and its play on the limitations of the medium – size of the paper. Other examples of these works on paper can be seen here: Selected Works, Oil on Paper, Montreal, 2002 – 2004
The second series entitled Parc La Fontaine, focused on 5 large canvases (88″ x 30″) and my experiences during my visits to Parc La Fontaine, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Oil Sketches of this series can also been seen here: Selected Works, Oil on Paper, Montreal, 2002 – 2004
The Montreal Years, (Partial List), 2003-2004
- Untitled #01, Parc La Fontaine Series, 88″ x 30″, Oil on Canvas, 2003
- Untitled #02, Parc La Fontaine Series, 88″ x 30″, Oil on Canvas, 2003
- Untitled #03, Parc La Fontaine Series, 88″ x 30″, Oil on Canvas, 2003
- Untitled #04, Parc La Fontaine Series, 88″ x 30″, Oil on Canvas, 2003
- Untitled #05, Parc La Fontaine Series, 88″ x 30″, Oil on Canvas, 2003
- portrait #1, portrait studies, oil, lead on paper, 12″ x 18″, 2003
- portrait #2, portrait studies, oil, lead on paper, 12″ x 18″, 2003
- portrait #3, portrait studies, oil, lead on paper, 12″ x 18″, 2003
- portrait #5, portrait studies, oil, lead on paper, 18″ x 12″, 2003
- Parc #01, parc lafontaine Series, oil on paper, 18″ x 12″, 2004
- Parc #02, parc lafontaine Series, oil on paper, 18″ x 12″, 2004
- Parc #03, parc lafontaine Series, oil on paper, 18″ x 12″, 2004
The Eastern Townships: 2004-2006
A lot of changes took place during this period such as the birth of my daughter Gabrielle as well as a move to the picturesque countryside of the Eastern Townships in Quebec (about an hour’s drive east of Montreal).
The first year involved a series of large canvases capturing the lush countryside as in les Cantons de l’est Series. In the second year, my work began to take a more abstracted turn in a series entitled, Asleep in the Alchemist Garden.
By the end of my second year in the townships, I began to turn more frequently to digital-based compositions, using Adobe Photoshop and other software.
This would, in turn, lead me to register at Concordia University, Montreal and pursue a BFA in order to explore the intersection of technology and the arts.
The Eastern Townships, (Partial List), 2004-2006
les Cantons de l’est Series
- The Red Tunnel, 36″ x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2004
- The Beaver Dam, 36″ x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2004
- The Bridge at Cowansville, 36″ x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2004
- The White Cow, 36″ x 36″, Oil on Canvas, 2004
- The Lake at Brome, 30″ x 40″, Oil on Canvas, 2004
Asleep in the Alchemist Garden Series
- in Search of Light, Oil on Canvas, 48″ x 36″, 2005
- Flight from the Garden, Oil on Canvas, 24″ x 36″, 2005
- parting Ways, Oil on Canvas, 48″ x 36″, 2005
- the Dream, Oil on Canvas, 24″ x 36″, 2005
- in Search of Light, Oil on Canvas, 24″ x 36″, 2005