Thursday 1 December 2016

An Andre Fontaine original

This painting hangs in my living room, and invariably invites comments.  It has been a part of my life since the early 1980s, when it was a conversation piece in my parents' dining room in Sillery, Quebec, Canada.  My father was presented with it for conducting the marriage ceremony of the artist, Andre Fontaine, at Chalmers-Wesley United Church in Quebec City.

My father was told that use of a blacklight would bring out another dimension to the painting, but as far as I know this was never tried.

Andre Fontaine was certainly a character as I recall, and if my father was still alive he would surely have had a few entertaining anecdotes to relate.  I thought that an internet search would have turned up more examples of Andre Fontaine's distinctive work, but I found very few, so I am sharing it here.

I am especially intrigued by the texture and the techniques used in the painting.  I guess that an airbrush was used for the fluorescent colours?  Or spray cans?  The painting must now be around 35 years old and has mellowed a little with age (like me!) -- but it still evokes fond memories of good company and happy times.