An artist’s impulses and a judge’s escapes

One is an artist in the soul, the other defines himself as a Judge who paints. Doris Chasse and Yves Morier wanted to give themselves a personal challenge: a duo exposition. This is the result of this challenge they are presenting at the T.-A. St-Germain Library, from March 31 to April 21, 2008. I met them at the artist’s workshop, a few days prior to the exposition.

By Paul-Henri Freniere (Zoom Arts Newspaper, April 2008)

Why a duo exposition?

“Since 1999, we meet at collective expositions, at symposiums and last year we had the idea to expose our work together. It was like a challenge”, explains the Judge.

But you have very different styles and themes?

“What makes us alike is our taste for painting, our love for painting, our love for colors,” answers Doris Chasse.

The color, the light, the houses

Doris Chasse has a lot of experience; she has already had solo exposition, here and there. Yves Morier, will experiment a duo exposition for the first time. He will show about twenty pieces, from which (a dozen) are really recent.

“I recently had a few days of vacation and I did a lot of paintings. I was painting from morning to night. A great experience!” says Yves Morier who was coming back from a trip to Italy from which he brought a lot of pictures, to nourish his inspiration for many artworks.

“I adore Italy’s colors, its light, also its architecture.” The architectural patrimony’s richness represents a great source of inspiration for him. On top of the Saint-Hyacinthe’s central market, the exposition will present ancestral houses, stores, courthouses (professional bias, hey?).

Talking about justice, I ask if for him, painting represents a kind of… escape?

“Exactly, he answers, I do not see the time pass by when I paint. I am totally absorbed by what I am doing. I forget my cases and all the rest. Yes, it is an escape. But a beautiful escape!”

The universe and the impulses

Doris Chasse will expose about twenty artworks (large and small formats) from her last series named Regards vers le ciel (Looks at the sky). Abstract paintings created from her “impulses” generated by her mental images.

Personally, I see certain of Doris Chasse’s paintings as a look towards the universe. Outside and inside universes at the same time: a telescope towards the sidereal space and a microscope searching the human soul’s sub soils. Where from the chaos, emerge a certain harmony: colors, forms and senses.

“I am extremely proud and even honored to be her friend. She is a great artist. I compare her to Riopelle and other great painters,” said Judge Yves Morier in front of a blushing Doris Chasse. “One day, we will expose in New York City” says he, to dissipate the discomfort, bursting laughing.

But one never knows… Doris Chasse has the full possession of her art and Judge Morier will soon retire. He will then have all his time to defend his muse’s possibilities and to escape as much as he wants.

Richnesses and impulses

From March 31 to April 21, 2008
(Vernissage: Sunday April 6, at 1 p.m.)
T.-A. St-Germain Library