The main thing is to remain free! This phrase is repeated not once, but three times by artist François Trottier who refers to his paintings as infinite territories of exploration.
To create his canvases, Trottier favours his spatulas and knives which he handles with vigour. Add to these a few brushes that allow him to create vaporous backgrounds and contours, emerging memories are framed. He likes oils that oxidize slowly, “because,” he explains, “throughout our lives we never stop running. I refuse to rush while I’m painting.”
His passion is the abstract in all its forms. “I love the impression we retain of what we see. I prefer the initial reaction to something – more than subsequent reactions. From time to time, a city’s emblematic buildings will appear in my urban landscapes in an evocative way. Then spectators begin to wonder; each one will see a different city. I’m not interested in transcribing reality – there are excellent cameras for that! I prefer translating emotions, the feelings we’re left with from a city, a meeting, or a colour.”
Trottier is represented in Montréal by Dimension Plus gallery. He spends his winters in South West France where he paints for French galleries. His next solo exhibition in Montréal will include urban landscapes, abstracts, and characters. Galerie 2456, Rue Beaubien Est, Montréal. From November 7 to 13. Vernissage Monday, November 7 at 5 p.m.
Photos: Yves Laberge
artist François Trottier
Migration
Papillonnement
De toutes les villes
