T H E R E S E F O R T I N

R E S U M E

A native of Chicoutimi, Therese Fortin developed an interest in fine arts at a very young age. Her early formal training in the visual arts provided her with the opportunity to experiment with various medias such as gouache, watercolours, charcoal, pastels, as well as her present medium, oils. The curriculum also covered the history of art, sculpture and sketching.

In her early thirties, she completed university studies in communications and journalism. In 1987, Therese Fortin began working in public relations for the Opéra de Québec until 1996. At the same time, she embarked on her career as a professionnal artist. Her work with the Opera meant the discovery of the fascinating world of theatre ( the "cradle" of numerous paintings). Her exceptional technique, based on automatism, is the essence of her very distinct paintings of figures and atmospheres. The canvas is host to the veritable explosion of colours and themes which dominates her works, recognizable above all by her trademark palett. Therese Fortin has named her creative technique "emergism". The resulting works are emphatically unique.

To date, Therese Fortin has given some 20 solo shows and has taken part in many visual arts events in Quebec, Ontario, France and New York where, during the 29th edition of the Artexpo, her work was very well received. Since that time, collectors from United States have been drawn to her wotks - an artistic discovery which has seen the art market open up to Therese Fortin.

As already noted, Therese Fortin is also active in the visual arts events in Quebec, Ontario, France and USA, where her paintings have found a ready home. At one such event, the 1999 biennal organised by Les Artistes Créateurs Associés, with the theme Nouveaux Maîtres de l'image (new masters of the image), she received a honorable mention for her painting "Mermaid". Therese Fortin has also participated in a number of group showings: the New York Artexpo, the Key West Art Festival, the first and second editions of the Westboro Arts Festival in Ottawa and three biennal events organised by La Société Nationale des Beaux Arts held at Le Carrousel du Louvres in Paris. At the 2000 edition Therese received one of the ten awards (among 450 artists from all over the world) for her painting « Avantage ».

Since the the end of the 90s she developed a unique approach that allows outsiders to contribute actively to her creative process. Her 1st experience during the Quebec Winter Carnival has been a great success and motivated her to keep on and improve this approach. Many others collective sessions have took place since the 1st one, namely la Commission scolaire de la Capitale de Quebec (1 500 persons) and under the patronage of JPDL : FNG Life Insurance (450 persons), Upsher-Smith (200 persons), Southern Link (50 persons) and Estate Preservation Insurance (300 persons).

See my site: www.theresefortin.com

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