About
me
About the artist
JF Racine in brief
Jean-François Racine was born in 1968. He grew up in Rimouski where he studied graphic arts and photography at Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup. Provided with a good drawing and live performance enthusiast, he developed his skills in public painting. His undeniable talent allowed to quickly be exhibited in galleries. From the outset, the light and depth characterized his artworks.
Young artist, ecologist in reflection, it is in a journey of questioning about his role as a citizen and as an artist that Racine will study political science at Laval University. This adventure will lead him in many other challenges up to the Old Mill of the Michel stream in Baie-Saint-Paul in 1998.
The Call of the Mountain
Emerging artist, land enthusiast and excellent skier, Racine will replace his easel by his skis to access and paint many wild lands throughout Canada.
For him, the mountain is a fascinating subject. For many cultures that venerate it, the mountain symbolizes the meeting of heaven and earth. For others, it is the abode of the gods. For Jean-François Racine, each outing is an inspiring adventure that engenders both spiritual reflection and physical well-being.
Wild territory inspiration
After many years of travelling through the country, Racine gradually became aware of the conservation of wild spaces. His interest in the wild spaces of Quebec became a logical continuity to his art.
Today, the artist tries to expose and discover the beauty of our wild territories in order to enhance them and promote their conservation. Obviously, this is often a costly process in terms of money and time, but it is worth it, repeats the artist.
Fabric Painting
Highlights
Fabric Painting
Highlights
Main subjects
Through several expeditions, the artist discovers and shares in his own way the beauties and riches of the territory in order to promote its conservation.
Through several expeditions, the artist discovers and shares in his own way the beauties and riches of the territory in order to promote its conservation.
The artist likes to tell a moment or a place that takes place over time in our natural and living heritage.
Live Performances
Jean-François Racine gave his first live performance at the Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup in 1987. It was the beginning of a decade of public performances across Quebec. These experiences helped him develop his spontaneity as an artist.
Quality
Design, depth and light are the main qualities of Jean-François Racine's artworks. For the past fifteen years, he also paid very particular attention to impasto painting. Racine creates his own colours and his own acrylic and oil palettes using top quality products, pigments, binders and varnishes in order to guarantee the conservation of its artworks. He is equally concerned about the quality of the media. These are all defining facts about the heritage and financial value of Racine's works over time.
Exhibitions and Galleries
Jean-François Racine exhibits in several art galleries across Canada. On the occasion of the 2010 Olympic Games, he presented in Vancouver, Sun Peaks, Vernon and Nelson a striking exhibition composed of 36 paintings illustrating the highest peaks of British Columbia. In April 2012, he took part in a cultural exchange and two exhibitions in Sakai and Kyoto (Japan). His giant painting produced as part of the 24h Tremblant—and sold for $25,000 for the benefit of the Charles-Bruneau Foundation in 2005—remains an important achievement in the greater metropolitan area.
Jean-François Racine is co-founder of Forces Avenir and sits on the Art, Literature and Culture Award Selection Committee at the national university level. He is also a member of the Selection Committee of the International Symposium of Contemporary Art and board member of the Musée d'art contemporain in Baie-Saint-Paul.
The painter is distinguished by his integrated and totally unique approach. Over the years, art lovers and collectors realize the heritage value and the exceptional quality of his collection. It will be interesting to observe his work in 100 years considering the attention that the artist made to the chemistry of pigments to ensure greater longevity for his works. Jean-François Racine, a smart artist to follow...
Live Performances
Jean-François Racine gave his first live performance at the Cégep de Rivière-du-Loup in 1987. It was the beginning of a decade of public performances across several stages and events across Quebec. According to the artist, it was these years of painting live in short periods of time that allowed him to develop his dexterity in capturing and drawing on the spot the action that presented itself to his eyes.
Over time, more confident in his abilities, Jean-François immortalized on board a few events such as the Spin, 24h Tremblant, the Massif Open, a show of Yan Perreau, Canada Day on Parliament Hill in Ottawa as well as the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Parade on the main street in Baie-Saint-Paul to name a few.
Always ready to take up a challenge, the artist led collectives several times, even with animals, always for the good cause.