"I have always been fascinated by the effects of light and shade found in nature, as well as by the play of colour contrasts, shading and tonal nuances and the diversity offered by the changing seasons.

During the past twenty-five years, numerous painting expeditions have taken me to the Maritimes, Western Canada and the Northern U.S. But usually, I set up my easel somewhere in La Belle Province. I am passionate about my art and even after all these years, the sight of a little village nestled in a valley, a waterfall or autumn foliage still inspires me. The Lower St-Lawrence, the North Shore, the Gaspé and the Magdalene Islands are my favourite spots. And the, of course, there's the Charlevoix, a unique region. To think that all the beauties nature has to offer have come together in one place. I feel very much at home in this magnificent part of the country, as well as highly motivated. No matter how many times I return, each trip always reveals some new delight. Outside of Quebec, there is no lack of future projects for painting : the Yukon, Alaska, Newfoundland, a return trip to the Rockies, who knows.

Each site presents its own challenge as a subject to paint. For example, painting a scene of the great gorges on the Malbaie River and another depicting the tundra on the North Shore is not at all the same thing. Composition and line are different, scale alters the whole approach cannot be the same. Yet, that is just what makes it all so interesting.

I don't like to use photographs when I'm painting; if I can't be out in nature, I prefer a good pencil sketch where the individual elements are clearly identified. In the margins, I add notes about colour, overall atmosphere, and other pertinent details, as a way of remembering. A simple sketch, done on the spot, gives the painter so much more than a photograph can offer, because the overall composition is already there imagination and experience do the rest.

Every season is interesting to paint and I manage to work directly from subjects in nature most of the year. When the weather is inclement, I take shelter and paint smaller canvasses, or do sketches to use later in my studio. I like to choose my next subject the day before. Once I have begun a canvas outdoors, I am always anxious to finish it in my studio.

To find beautiful landscapes, you have to leave the beaten track and explore smaller pathways, right to the end. Usually, such effort is rewarded by an unexpected scene or an incomparable view. But nature can be very discreet and does not always reveal its charms at first sight. I might pass by the same scene many times without seeing all its possibilities, and then suddenly, one day, under a certain light, inspiration strikes. The wonder inherent in such moments creates a certain enthusiasm that become quite obvious in the finished canvas.


Briefly, no matter what the method, the most important element is interpretation how you approach a subject, bring out its essential characteristics, compose the picture, choose colour, brushwork in other words, those features that distinguish one artist from another.

In conclusion, I feel to be able to spend each day doing what I love. But life passes quickly and there are still so many beautiful places to paint. I think that at the end of it all, my only regret will be not having enough time, but until then"