Historical Vignettes
Claude Picard: Creator of Emotions
After obtaining his Bachelor's degree in Arts from Collège Saint Louis in 1957, known today as l'Université de Moncton, campus d'Edmundston, Claude Picard undertakes a study tour of Europe, where he discovers Italy, France, and Spain. "I eventually spent three years there; I was able to survive because of money raised by our weekly paper Le Madawaska, and from the financial help of my family and friends. I learned as I painted Rome, Florence, and Paris..."3 Following his study tour, he boarded for three years with his mentor, P.C. Laporte, whom would provide advice and constructive criticism, much appreciated by Picard. "I began to live from my art in 1959, giving courses and accepting contracts designing theatre sets and costumes, doing different paintings, murals, and portraits."4
Therefore, he returns to his small village and gets inspired by the Madawaskayan way of life, characters, and natural landscapes. Without question, one of his preferred themes is the forest; he learns that inspiration not only comes from historical testimonials but also from his own experiences, thereby creating each scenery and portrait more realistic than the last.
As a child, our home was near the city limits, in a part of the city called le bout des Bellefleur. We then lived in the middle of nature. We used to walk along the Madawaska River to get to school and I remember it covered with pulpwood. I thought there was poetry in the water flow... As the youngest of ten children, I followed my brothers and sisters everywhere; we loved taking random walks in the woods, gathering small fruit, and admiring the immensity of the trees and mountains. I believe the forest brings a type of tranquillity similar to the one we find in churches. When looking at the outline of trees climbing towards the sky and the branches connecting much lower near the water, the atmosphere is almost religious.5