(1924 - 2007)
Leo Fournier was born in 1924 in St. Mathias sur Richelieu, Quebec. He worked for 40 years in an automobile body shop. His first carving, a crucifix was done in 1967 when he was 43. He continued carving until he passed away in 2007, becoming one of Quebec s premier folk artists. Leo s sculptures cover a wide range of subjects from the religious to the erotic, as well as animals and everyday life scenes.He is well known for his carvings which include figures involved in confrontational activities such as the couple at the fence displayed below. After creating one of his more daring pieces, he would hide it in his basement, and these carvings often generated a lively discussion with his wife Jeanette. He commonly signed his work by carving his initials in the base, and sometimes carved his full name.
Leo Fournier died in January 2007 at the age of 82. His work is represented in private collections throughout North America as well as many Canadian museums and galleries.
Ref: Bernard Riordon (Beaverbrook Gallery), Canadian Folk Art from the Collection of Susan A. Murray (2007); Adrien Levasseur, Sculpteurs en Art Populaire au Quebec (2008).
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