Deguy

“In a way” says Deguy, “I’ve been preparing to paint for a long time. But I have only allowed myself the freedom of actually doing it in the last few years.”

In his studio by the Lachine Canal in Montreal, Deguy is in the midst of a creative journey he started in 1997 upon reaching his fortieth birthday. A late bloomer? Hardly. Deguy had been working with colour and form for more than 25 years as a graphic designer and art director. The painter finds inspiration in his frequent travels and his constant observation of people’s personalities, especially as expressed by their eyes.

Deguy brings visions to life on canvas or masonite, using acrylics applied in transparent layers or, occasionally mixed with sand to add texture. Each work is a new opportunity for him to experiment: Deguy avoids repetitive formulas.

Confronted with the white expanse of blank canvas, Deguy connects with the whimsical madness of his adolescence while infusing his work with the maturity of his forties.

Over time, imaginary characters and fanciful creatures have taken place of his early still lifes. “I gradually opened up to expressing my emotions,” he explains. “That is how living creatures started appearing in my work.”

Where Deguy’s paintings are concerned, this painter’s desire is to move the viewer’s emotions through his use of colour, form or subject matter.