Robert-Émile Fortin
Encyclopedia
Robert-Émile Fortin was a Quebec painter.
He was born in Hull, Quebec
, the son of Émile Fortin and Aline Boisvert. His mother died before he was two years old and Fortin was raised at the Sainte-Thérèse Orphanage in Aylmer, Quebec
and the Saint-Joseph Orphanage in Ottawa
. Fortin spent his summers at the farm of his grandmother Aldéa located near Lac Leamy
. After he completed primary school at the age of twelve, he attended secondary school in Sainte-Rose-de-Lima (now part of Gatineau
) and Gatineau, living at first with his grandmother but later in foster homes.
Fortin worked at a number of jobs: as a cleaner and bartender at a bar and at a paper mill, before securing a job as a graphic artist with the federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. In 1968, he married Monique Lemieux. Later that year, he entered the Arts faculty at the University of Ottawa
. In 1970, he returned to work with the federal Department of the Environment (formerly part of Energy, Mines and Resources). In 1973, he held his first exhibition of paintings in Hull
with L'Amicale Artistique de l'Outaouais. In 1974, he enrolled in night courses with the Ottawa School of Art. Facing a conflict between his growing interest in drawing and painting and his career as a civil servant, Fortin resigned after he was offered an promotion to department head in 1974.
His work, originally non-figurative, gradually evolved into a naïve folk art
style. During this period, Fortin moved to a farm in Mayo, Quebec
. The wood stove of the farm house there became an important element in his future work. He taught art courses in the Ottawa region from 1979 to 1981. In 1983, he embarked on a tour of Europe where he studied art and sold his art to galleries and private collectors.
On his return to Canada, Fortin began to produce limited edition silkscreen
prints of his works. In 1984, he moved from his farm to the town of Buckingham
. In the following year, he opened a gallery nearby. Later that year, he travelled to Zaire
where he gave courses in silkscreening. In 1988, Fortin returned to acrylic paint
ings on canvas and left Buckingham, establishing himself in downtown Hull.
In 1997, he moved to a studio and gallery in the Mont-Tremblant area.
Fortin died in the Laurentians at the age of 58.
He was born in Hull, Quebec
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
, the son of Émile Fortin and Aline Boisvert. His mother died before he was two years old and Fortin was raised at the Sainte-Thérèse Orphanage in Aylmer, Quebec
Aylmer, Quebec
Aylmer is a former city in Quebec, Canada. It became a sector of the City of Gatineau on January 1, 2002. Located on the Ottawa River and Route 148 it is a part of the National Capital Region. The population in 2006 was 41 882 — approx. 16% of Gatineau...
and the Saint-Joseph Orphanage in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
. Fortin spent his summers at the farm of his grandmother Aldéa located near Lac Leamy
Lac Leamy
Leamy Lake is a lake in the Hull sector of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The lake is located just to the south of the Gatineau River, and just west of the Ottawa River, and is linked to both of them with flowing in from the Gatineau and exiting to the Ottawa...
. After he completed primary school at the age of twelve, he attended secondary school in Sainte-Rose-de-Lima (now part of Gatineau
Gatineau
Gatineau is a city in western Quebec, Canada. It is the fourth largest city in the province. It is located on the northern banks of the Ottawa River, immediately across from Ottawa, Ontario, and together they form Canada's National Capital Region. Ottawa and Gatineau comprise a single Census...
) and Gatineau, living at first with his grandmother but later in foster homes.
Fortin worked at a number of jobs: as a cleaner and bartender at a bar and at a paper mill, before securing a job as a graphic artist with the federal Department of Energy, Mines and Resources. In 1968, he married Monique Lemieux. Later that year, he entered the Arts faculty at the University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
. In 1970, he returned to work with the federal Department of the Environment (formerly part of Energy, Mines and Resources). In 1973, he held his first exhibition of paintings in Hull
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
with L'Amicale Artistique de l'Outaouais. In 1974, he enrolled in night courses with the Ottawa School of Art. Facing a conflict between his growing interest in drawing and painting and his career as a civil servant, Fortin resigned after he was offered an promotion to department head in 1974.
His work, originally non-figurative, gradually evolved into a naïve folk art
Naïve art
Naïve art is a classification of art that is often characterized by a childlike simplicity in its subject matter and technique. While many naïve artists appear, from their works, to have little or no formal art training, this is often not true...
style. During this period, Fortin moved to a farm in Mayo, Quebec
Mayo, Quebec
Mayo is a municipality in the Papineau Regional County Municipality of western Quebec, located northeast of the city of Gatineau...
. The wood stove of the farm house there became an important element in his future work. He taught art courses in the Ottawa region from 1979 to 1981. In 1983, he embarked on a tour of Europe where he studied art and sold his art to galleries and private collectors.
On his return to Canada, Fortin began to produce limited edition silkscreen
Screen-printing
Screen printing is a printing technique that uses a woven mesh to support an ink-blocking stencil. The attached stencil forms open areas of mesh that transfer ink or other printable materials which can be pressed through the mesh as a sharp-edged image onto a substrate...
prints of his works. In 1984, he moved from his farm to the town of Buckingham
Buckingham, Quebec
Buckingham was a city located in the Outaouais region of the province of Quebec. Since January 1, 2002, it has been part of the amalgamated city of Gatineau which merged five former municipalities, including Masson-Angers, Buckingham, Hull, Aylmer and Gatineau, into a single entity...
. In the following year, he opened a gallery nearby. Later that year, he travelled to Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
where he gave courses in silkscreening. In 1988, Fortin returned to acrylic paint
Acrylic paint
Acrylic paint is fast drying paint containing pigment suspension in acrylic polymer emulsion. Acrylic paints can be diluted with water, but become water-resistant when dry...
ings on canvas and left Buckingham, establishing himself in downtown Hull.
In 1997, he moved to a studio and gallery in the Mont-Tremblant area.
Fortin died in the Laurentians at the age of 58.