Lorne George Holland Bouchard

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Biography

Born in Montreal, in 1913, he started sketching at the age of eight. He studied drawing at the Barnes School of Art under Wilfred M. Barnes and drawing from the antique evenings with Prof. Maurice Felix at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Mtl. (1930-32). He was encouraged by Clarence Gagnon to paint scenes of Quebec. In his early work both Gagnon and Maurice Cullen helped in his development.

To earn a living he worked as a label designer at Dennison Mfg. Co. Ltd., Drummondville, Que. (1935-46); Bomac-Federal Ltd., Mtl. (1946-48); C.G. Grier, Mtl. (1950); Rapid Grip & Batten Ltd., Mtl. (1950-52); then as freelance illustrator beginning in 1952. He did covers for Maclean's Magazine and numerous private commissions for advertising agencies; large paintings for boardrooms of Can. Iron, Nordair, Seagrams, Hewitt Equipment and others.

At the age of 18 he exhibited in a jury show with the Royal Canadian Academy.

Bouchard worked with a palette knife and brushes and continually searched for faster drying mediums for outdoor painting. He worked quickly to catch the effects of sunlight and atmosphere, and finished his painting in one sitting. He painted in a variety of mediums: watercolours, tempera, but mostly in oils, also used felt-tipped pen and ink straight onto the paper with no pencil sketch underneath. He worked as well in clay, wood, stained glass, metals and mosaics.

He was first introduced to the North Country in 1928, when he worked in northern Quebec and Ontario. So impressed with its beauty, he returned there a number of times to paint. He also painted in many other regions of Canada and especially in the Laurentians and the Gaspe. He had a particular love for the wild and desolate landscapes of British Columbia. He did his landscapes in a refreshing style that caught the mood of the day in a combination of realism and impressionism. Two of his painting trips were recorded in Weekend Magazine in the 1960's, including his 1963 trip with his wife and Mr. & Mrs. David Molson in a chartered 60-foot diesel river boat which took them on a three-week cruise up the Mackenzie River in the N.W.T..

He died in Montreal in 1978 at the age of 65.

Exhibitions and Shows:

He has exhibited his paintings in the MMFA Spring Shows, the CNE, Toronto, and the annual RCA shows.

He exhibited in solo shows at:
Continental (1940-1949) (1952-1955)
Walter Klinkhoff Gal., Mtl. (1960-71).

Awards and Accomplishments

Award of Merit, Adv. & Editorial Art Exhibit from Art Dir's Club, Mtl. (1956)
Ist Prize, Mtl. Hadassah Exhibit (1959)
Hon. Mention, Price Fine Arts Award, Mtl. (1970).

Member:
ARCA (1943)
RCA (1962)
Arts Club, Mtl. (1955)
Pen & Pencil Club, Mtl. (1955)
Art Dir's Club, Mtl.

He is represented in the following collections:
NGC, Ott.; MMFA, Mtl.; T.Thomson Mem. Mus. & Art Gal., Owen Sound; Seagram Coll., Mtl. and many others both public and private.


-Colin S. Macdonald, Dictionary of Canadian Artists

Other Information

Category: Paintings

Media:Oil on Canvas