Hidden behind each of Marie-Claude Demers’ works is a story, each of her sculptures tells a tale, a fable of our own imagining, a character who brings a smile to our face or tugs at our heartstrings, one that inevitably awakens our inner child.

 

For example, “The Epicurian” and “Pull Hard’’ might be taken straight out of films by Jeunet and Caro. Their slightly ubuesque physiognomy and appearance amuse us and make us smile. One can spend countless minutes scrutinizing them from head to toe with wicked pleasure. One could linger on a phenomenal moustache or a grinning face. On the button about to pop open on the shirt that’s a little too tight, or the tiny mouse cowering beneath a crate of bottles. We picture them amidst the commotion of a great restaurant’s scullery, behind the counter of a lively bar or in the dark depths of a wine cellar. We become both playwright and stage director.

 

There is also “Smells Like Happiness”, “I Love You so Much” and “Happiness Caught Me’’ akin to tiny bundles of affection we feel like cradling in the palms of our hands. We go head over heels for the baby elephant lying on its back, its heart between its legs. We are moved by the two pelicans glued to each other like longtime seasoned allies. Our hearts melt for the little girl who, pigtails in the wind, serene face and heart in hand, is heading confidently towards a place of happiness that we can’t help but envy.

Whether large or small scale, Marie-Claude Demers carefully nurtures the minutest details of her characters. From her bronze works, she allows us to feel the leather, the velvet, the feathers, the glass and the wood. Their patinas are unique to each figure. The artist succeeds in breathing life into her sculptures in the same way as a painter infuses a canvas with carefully considered hues. Copper tones contrast with brownish red, pearl gray, sage or mint green, sky-blue or chalky white. Absolute poetry for the eyes.

The works of Marie-Claude Demers attempt to capture that fleeting moment of pure happiness or a high-wire balancing act. Defying timelessness as if the bronze could thwart time and avoid sinking too quickly into the desert of oblivion. Allowing us to reconnect with our childhood while engraving simple delights on our hearts and souls is Marie-Claude Demers’ mission, one that she fulfills wonderfully.

 

THE ARTIST’S JOURNEY

 

Marie-Claude Demers was born in 1970 in Drummondville and now lives in Inverness, the very place where her sculptures are created in her studio nestled in the midst of the mountains, and in the foundries located not far from her creative den. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières and was trained in bronze casting in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2002. Her work can be viewed in many galleries and symposiums throughout Quebec as well as in many private collections here and abroad. Her work has been recognized through several awards and acknowledgements.