A Brief Biography scroll down for more photos

 

Patricia was born in Montreal in 1945. She never formally studied art, but her natural ability to capture the nuances of anatomy have garnered her accolades in the field of portraiture and equine art.

Her earliest works were in watercolour, but being drawn to the genius of American artist Andrew Wyeth, she took it upon herself to learn the elusive and complex fine art of egg tempera and for many years thereafter she created a large body of work in that medium.

Patricia resides half the year in Montreal and the other half at her cottage in Vermont. It is there that she has the opportunity to visit and paint the Lippizzan horses that spend their summers in Vermont by the lake. Seeing the horses swimming in the waters of Lake Champlain created such a visually striking, magical moment that she set out to do a series of white horses in water paintings, which over the years have become her trademark.

She has received many awards during her career; several from the prestigious competitions, Arts for the Parks in Jackson Hole, Wyoming and The American Academy of Equine Art in Kentucky and her work has been instrumental in raising much needed funding for charities that she has been close to both animal and human ….most notably, an original painting that sold for $10,000 to benefit the Missing Children’s Network. Her work has been featured in numerous magazines and in many hard cover books along with the cover of The Chronicle of the Horse and Equine Images.

Since her first sold out exhibition in 1981, Patricia has rarely been without a paintbrush in hand and has been kept busy working on commissions and for the past several years, an extensive collection of dog paintings contracted by the Danbury Mint for use on plates, blankets and cushions. Her talent has been described as outstanding in capturing the unique personality traits of the animals she portrays.

Patricia and her husband Abe Coisman run their business, Turtle Hill Productions from which they sell a full line of Patricia’s images ranging from greeting cards, posters, limited edition reproductions as well as her original paintings. She participates annually in juried fine art and craft shows from Halifax to Florida and exhibits her originals at the Campbell Gallery in Montreal, Canada. If you would like a more detailed biography please contact Patricia or Abe on a toll free line at 1-888-889-7700 or in the 514 area at 626-7700 or e mail us at info@patriciabourque.com.

 

Artist's Statement

I don't ever remember a time when I didn't draw if I had access to pencil and paper. I'm a true believer that artists are born not made. Unfortunately, in school when I should have been studying, I was forever day-dreaming , imagining I was on a horse riding along some wooded bridle path and doodling my time away, much to the chagrin of my teachers!

Being a self-taught artist, I never imagined I could do something I enjoy so much and earn a living from it as well, but my husband, Abe saw potential there and encouraged me to apply myself and eventually I had my first exhibition at a prestigious gallery in Montreal. After that, there was no looking back.

Since that first exhibition in 1981, we have formed our own company called Turtle Hill Productions (slow and steady wins the race) but more realistically, we called it that because our summer place in Vermont is on a wildlife sanctuary and in the month of June many wonderful turtles come up the hill and lay their eggs on our lawn. Under Turtle Hill we publish and sell a line of my greeting cards, posters, limited edition reproductions and of course my original art work.

Here is a view of my little 'studio' - studio sounds kind of pretentious to me... it's actually a spare bedroom in our house. I had Abe make the shelving doors with cutouts of stars, half moon and trees. I like the whimsicalness of it.

For about 6 months of the year I also participate in selected fine art and craft shows up and down the east coast, from Halifax to Florida. This has allowed me to meet the people who purchase my work, to form many 'custi-friends' (folks who start out as customers and end up as friends) and to better understand that many of the very things that creatively move me the deepest are those that touch the lives of many others as well. It has been an enriching experience and one that I look forward to continuing. Perhaps we will run into each other at one of these shows some day.