Michael Peter French ( 1951- )
Title ” Study for Pushthrough 1974 ”
Size 3 1/2″ x 6 1/4″ ( 7 1/2″ x 10 1/4″ framed ) ………$1195.00 Canadian
Provenance; Roberts Gallery Ltd. 1983
This remarkable early work ” Study for Pushthrough 1974 ” is a view of the artist’s homestead at Pushthrough, where the young Michael French resided from 1972 until 1975. Once a small fishing village on Newfoundland’s southwest coast, Pushthrough’s community was vacated around 1969 as part of Newfoundland’s resettlement planning. The result was a loss of rural culture and traditions in exchange for the amenities and employment opportunities offered by a larger town.
Michael French, born in 1951 is a world renowned artist known for his realistic paintings, who over the past fifty two years has exhibited in Toronto, Montreal, New York, Paris and San Miguel de Allende.
In 1972 French met the American artist Andrew Wyeth in South Cushing, Maine, whom offered valuable insight of his methods which would have a tremendous influence on French’s earlier works. In the same year, French began exhibiting at the Roberts Gallery in Toronto, which he would continue doing for the next 25 years. The early showings in the Roberts Gallery took place when Michael was living in Newfoundland, where he survived mostly by living off the land through hunting and finishing. These activities would consume half of the day and he would spend the other half painting by natural light.
The softcover book, Newfoundland, published in 1979 by Cumberland Press. Toronto, Ontario is illustrated with 22 paintings by Michael French reproduced in black and white. The accompanying text was written by his wife Dawn French.
He currently exhibits at the Kinsman Robinson Gallery in Toronto.
Copyright of the artist and or the artist estate.