Raymond Quenneville — Contemporary Art Curator Magazine

May 1

May 1 Raymond Quenneville

Biography

Raymond Quenneville is a self-taught Canadian artist who has been painting for over 40 years.
Winner of several national and international awards he has received many special mentions from juries and the public. He is a member of the Institut des arts figuratifs (IAF), the Society of Canadian Artists (SCA), the Mondial Art Academia (MAA) and has been nominated as Master of Fine Arts by the Académie internationale des beaux-arts du Québec (AIBAQ).

Artist Statement

Born in 1956 in Trois-Rivières, Quebec (Canada), Raymond Quenneville is a self-taught artist who has been painting for over 40 years. In 1992, after having explored a variety of media, he went back to oil painting and decided to pursue his own unique style in expressing landscape and light. By playing with complementary colours, Raymond Quenneville accentuates contrasts and creates impressive luminous effects. In his landscape paintings, subtle values variations almost make visible the fine consistency of the air itself and create an illusion of depth that is convincing to the eye. He likes to paint peaceful environments, expressing serenity and equanimity of places where it is good to stop and just be for a moment. Raymond Quenneville has held many solo exhibitions and participated in numerous collective exhibitions and symposia. Winner of several national and international awards he has received many special mentions from juries and the public. There is a permanent exhibition of his work in renowned art galleries distributed across Canada and the United States.

What first prompted you to think of becoming an artist?

I think I was born this way. Since childhood, my favorite hobby has always been to draw and paint. I am also a musician and have combined music and painting for most of my life. So, I wasn't surprised to one day become a full-time artist. Although I have been painting landscapes in oils for over 40 years, my career as a professional painter really began in 1992. Today I work in partnership with several galleries in Canada and the United States. I have never stopped learning and having the motivation to produce new pieces.

What kind of an artist do you ultimately see yourself?

I am not a young artist. I achieved, I believe, the main career goals I sat for myself in terms of recognition and distribution of my work. My paintings are now in demand and appreciated by collectors around the world. Ultimately, I would like to dedicate more time to experimentation and learning. I wish to devote the coming years to polishing my art and producing outstanding works that will really showcase all the knowledge acquired during my career; make the best I could probably do according to my capacity and talent.

What are you hoping to communicate to the viewer through your work?

I devote myself entirely to painting landscapes in oil, through which I try to express a certain serenity and balance. In each of my paintings there is a touch of sweetness, and luminosity that brings the observer into a welcoming, soothing universe. By seeking subtle variations in chromatic values, I try to highlight the fine consistency of the air, giving a sense of depth that the eye cannot dispute. I like to paint peaceful environments, places where it is good to stop and just be for a moment.

Can you explain the process of creating your work?

Although I don’t consider myself a plein air painter, I like to spend time in the field, doing sketches and catching the spirit of the moment. I do not pay attention to details when sketching but rather focus on the lines, the spatial arrangement of objects and the general impression of the place. Then I transfer the sketch on a canvas and do the whole painting in the studio. I like to see the true colours when painting and prefer not to be too disturbed by the surrounding environment. I use the old techniques for oil painting : I start with fine layers of diluted painting and finish by brushing a final application of pure oil. Through time, I removed unnecessary items from my composition. I kept essentially what is giving a direction to the eye and making the observer traveling into the landscape. Shapes of the trees, angles of the houses and churches, shadows, trail paths, all those elements are guiding the eye through the scene .

What is your favorite part of the creative process?

I love to start sketching on the white canvas. This moment when « all is possible » is probably my favorite step. By defining the picture composition and putting all the elements in place, I have the impression I can do whatever I want. It allows me to give free rein to my creativity; this important moment will impact the whole process. When it is done, I feel calmer and the motivation to complete the piece is growing as I paint. I like those quiet moments in the studio working slowly while listening to music. This is where I feel the best.

Can you give us an insight into current projects and inspiration, or what we can look forward to from you in the near future?

Since 2016, I have been working with four other Québec artists (Yvon St-Aubin, Yvon Lemieux, Gérard Boulanger and Robert Roy) on a five-year project to paint the most picturesque regions of the St. Lawrence River (Canada). The group was established with a goal of creating 100 paintings, from the Thousand Islands to the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This is the first such venture in Québec's art history. Although a book and documentary have already been produced, the project is still ongoing. The collection « Hommage au Saint-Laurent » will be first shown to the general public, starting in 2022.

Website www.raymondquenneville.qc.ca