Stéphane Gagnon
Stéphane Gagnon was born in Joliette, Quebec, in 1965. His "traditional" landscapes invite the eye and the imagination to get lost in places where time seems suspended. Following the path of the first Impressionist painters, he places great importance on atmosphere and seeks to pay tribute to the singular beauty of the world around him.
Stéphane Gagnon - Nature and movements of the soul
Date and place of birth
Stéphane Gagnon was born in Joliette in 1965.
Background and career
Born into a very favourable artistic environment, Stéphane Gagnon was encouraged to draw from a very young age. Curiosity led him to try his hand at pastels, India ink and coloured pencils, but his first exhibitions at the age of 18 were executed in felt-tip pen. A bachelor’s degree in graphic communication from Université Laval bolstered drawing skills that already showed great sensitivity.
In 1982, he was introduced to painting by his aunt, the famous painter Yvette Froment. Until the early 1990s, he focused on hyperrealism, mastering his technique and developing a keen eye for detail.
In 2001, after he took a five-year hiatus to seek new inspiration and find his own path, his vision and approach to his art were radically altered by the transition from acrylics to oil paint. Seduced by gestural impressionism, he developed a more personal style. Since then, his creativity has continued to evolve. Today, he is considered one of Quebec’s most talented “traditional” painters.
His work and art
Dedicating his discipline and craft to paying homage to the impressionism of the early 20th century, Stéphane Gagnon places great emphasis on atmosphere. Thus, his landscapes often provide a pretext for studies of light. For this great lover of nature, this approach came of its own volition in testimony to the beauty of a body of water or woodland, his preferred subjects.
His compositions favour balance and simplicity, even a certain spareness, that invite the eye and the imagination to wander through places that seem timeless. With a harmonious touch, he seeks only to create a moment of serenity and peacefulness.
"My approach simply does justice to Mother Nature: calm and peaceful one moment, troubled the next, under a soft white blanket or in the lushness of summer. Any excuse is an opportunity to shine a special light on each subject and, at the same time, be honest with myself while seeking my own internal light.”
For Stéphane Gagnon, painting is a sacred act that involves a certain measure of gathering to draw out the best in the soul of the subjects he portrays.
Stéphane Gagnon is represented by the Au P'tit Bonheur Art Gallery since 2008.
