PAUL TEX LECOR
If one had but one word to describe the artwork Paul Tex Lecor , this would the one.The strength of everyday images and people, of a country still a little wild and of the ideals of souls looking for that freedom; all this is the foundation of Paul Tex Lecor’s work, an icon and a friend to the people of Quebec.A free man, Tex listens and understands people and country. He gives a voice to those who speak low, to the birds and the trees.Over a career now spanning six decades, freedom seems to have been the one reference in his work and in his life.At an age where most men seek rest and tranquility, something still pushes this talented artist to seek a muse that never fails to find him.He spends the fair season traveling, hoarding visual experiences essential to the work of a creator. He shares his happiness with fellow artists and everyday people and they, in turn, often become part of his paintings. Modern day trapper and woodsman, his catch is of images and impressions instead of the furs that his predecessors used to send to adorn kings and noblemen in the old country.Larger that life as he is, one might think that the character sometimes takes precedence over the painter. One would be wrong…Free, even carefree? Surely but one should not confuse freedom with improvisation.For all the wild imagination reflected in the way Lecor paints, a trained eye sees the work of an artist in full possession of his craft; of techniques passed on over generations. In the wild and crazy dance of the colors and subjects inhabiting the paintings, one can find painting lessons that would not pale in comparison to the old masters’.This painter thrives on instinct but a deep study of his oeuvre reveals ever ongoing evolution.Whether one looks at the characters that seem to come right out of our not so distant past or at the landscapes that live in his work, Lecor operates like a technician who uses his knowledge without ever falling into a comfortable lull. he work of an artist constantly revisiting his soul and his love of Quebec and its peopleIn a field that is sometime suspicious of artists who afford themselves the luxury of a many fold career, Lecor has often suffered the cynicism of certain people in the art world.Well known in Quebec as a singer songwriter and humorist, he has been, for some, an easy target.In the rest of Canada, however, he was painter from the start and his reputation has grown from day one without preconceptions.Today the intellectual complacency of yesteryears is giving way to a greater openness towards the may forms art can take thus making Lecor a name to be reckoned with more than ever in the Canadian and Quebec art community.For over thirty years Paul Lecor has been a fixture in Canada’s greatest art galleries and he is present in some of this country’s largest art collections..To those who know him, Tex is a rare jewel of a man and artist. To those who admire him, an example to be followed.What heights the work of this giant will fetch in the future is hard to forecast. Clearer is the fact that his production of the last few years has shown huge leaps in the evolution of an oeuvre that is always fresh. Clearly, the work of an artist constantly revisiting his soul and his love of Quebec and its people.S.M.Pearson, 2005
(Source: http://www.multi-art.net/tex/merci.htm)
Born june 10, 1933, in Saint Michel de Wenrworth, Québec,As a child, Tex Lecor`s father took him under his wing, and taught the young artist to paintand draw. As soon as he was old enough (18), he moved out of his native town of Saint-Michel de Wentworth, to Montreal. His goal was to study at the Montreal School of Fine Arts,which he accomplished in 1951. Once in Montreal, he met many local artists, including Léo Ayotte. Although Ayotte was many years Tex`senior, they forged a strong bond which lasteduntil Ayotte`s passing. Tex Lecor admired many artists such as Goodridge Roberts and Franklin Carmichael, the only artist he says inspires him was Léo Ayotte.
In 1960, Paul Lecor Moved to Old Montreal; at the time an area known as an artist`s andmusician`s area. He was having a lot of trouble making ends meet as a painter, so hebegan singing and playing guitar. Always a man with a good sense of humor,Tex`s songswere often satyrical and were well received by Montreal audiences. Even though he was now a performer, he still made time once a week to teach young artists at his downtown studio. By the time “EXPO 67” came around, he had made it, and by 1970 he was offered a part in the television show “Sous Mon Toit”; he was considered a star. He was now making enough money to support his primary passion, painting full time.
With his lifelong dream finally coming true, he refused to waste the opportunity. He was extremely prolific, and sold his work at an art Gallery in Laval. This type of exposure allowed him to hold his first solo show in 1976. Forthe next several years, he experimented with color and subject, exploring all aspects of his personality. His pieces often had humorous undertones, but ther was always a degree of sincerity in his subjects. He never intended to convey any message, just to truly explore color.
In 1987, still painting and exhibiting, he was offered a chance to travel across Canada andmeet with other artists for an open forum; the excursion was taped and broadcast on CBC. He had the chace to meet Guido Molinari and Jean-Paul Riopelle, which left him feeling reenergized about his own work. His colors evolved once again, as he told the tale of his lifethrough his paintings. Every moment he spent away from his true passion, was only astepping stone in order to forward his dream.
