Robert Marchessault | The Lorax Dreams

Opening First Thursday, May 3, 2018 6 - 8 PM
Artist in attendance

"I speak for the trees, for the trees have no tongues.” – The Lorax, Dr. Seuss

Robert Marchessault’s paintings have undergone an evolution. In lieu of formal landscapes, his trees now emerge from abstract backgrounds defined by color. Whimsical, yet substantial and keenly rendered, they bend, flourish and grow in their softly-shifting surroundings. Based on observations, Marchessault translates his impressions into dreamscapes where the trees are saturated with emotional resonance, each with their own distinct personality. Like their human counterparts, they blossom, strive and struggle, buffeted by the natural world and bent on survival.

Marchessault fervently believes that trees are critical for our planet’s health and our own well-being. His lifelong exploration of their expressive nature captures the essential spirit of arboreal life and celebrates it. Marchessault’s portraits serve as a powerful reminder to recognize and protect our delicate natural heritage. It is the only one we have. Perhaps Dr. Seuss says it best: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not."

Robert Marchessault is an established Canadian painter with an extensive exhibition history. His past as a videographer is evident in his luminous compositions, in which intricate detail and abstraction create a serene visual soundtrack. Marchessault earned his BFA from Concordia University, Montreal in 1978 and went on to receive his MA from the University of Toronto in 1997. His work is in public and corporate collections in the US, Sweden, and throughout Canada, including 20th Century Fox, Canada Council Art Bank, and the University of Montreal.