René Lemay

"On September 18th, 2015, the wind blew so hard that it took me away from the open sea. Those who will look for me will recognize my sails and know that I will always be around."

René Lemay (1934-2015), a self-taught contemporary realist painter, expresses joy and the here and now through various media. For over 25 years, his creative journey has guided him between Asia and the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, where his workshop is open to public upon appointment during summer : 1610 Chemin de l'Étang des caps.

His art has been featured in many national and international exhibitions.

This website has the goal to showcase the most exhaustive catalog of all the artworks he left behind. Most of the artworks on this website are part of private collections.

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René Lemay artiste peintre - Aquarium - Acrylique

Deux navires aux voiles abaissées reposent sur les eaux du Saint-Laurent, dans une composition dominée par des superpositions de bleus, œuvre Navires ô navires, tu vis du vent du Saint-Laurent de René Lemay.

Personnage, buffle et visage réunis autour d’une planète bleue fragile dans une scène à dimension spirituelle, peinture de l’artiste peintre canadien René Lemay.

Interview Radio-Canada | 2023 | Îles-de-la-Madeleine

The Mer Océane symposium was held in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine in 1998 and brought together many important artists, including the sculptor Charles Daudelin and the painter René Lemay, both now deceased.

Bouquet de fleurs abstraites s'envolant comme un feu d'artifice, œuvre Fleurs magiques de René Lemay

Oeuvre sur papier de René Lemay : Baigneurs sur la plage qui font voler des cerfvolants / artwork by lemay : people on the beach.

Tableau de l'artiste peintre René Lemay représentant l'oiseau cormoran

Celebration on canvas | 1997 | Paul Gladu

Besides Pellan and a handful of “automatistes”, few artists in Québec have provided this much pleasure through their work. The Italians have their futurists and the Catalans had Miro. Luckily we have Lemay.

Musicien au chapeau conique jouant sur le dos d'un buffle, œuvre Le musicien et son buffle de René Lemay

René Lemay artiste peintre - Chevauchée astrale - Acrylique

Dancing | December 5th 1998 | Bali

I went to see a dance called Legong. It was held in a courtyard of the ancient Ancak Sali built in the 16th century and located in Ubud. First of all the ambiance in this palace: there is a large central door hand sculpted. The dancers are not very tall. What is the most amazing t is to look at all of these flamboyant colors inlaid with gold thread, to witness the magic of the hand and eyes movements done with such harmony.