GAIL PARÉ

Gail Paré – Biography

Pointe-Saint-Charles artist Gail Paré paints with a vivid, playful energy that makes viewers stop, think, and look. Born in a mining town in northern Quebec as the fourth of nine children, Paré has lived many lives: from working as a chef in Montreal to overcoming the challenges of carpal tunnel syndrome and breast cancer. Through these experiences, she found her way back to art, developing a distinctive voice in naïve painting – a style characterized by vibrant colours, bold lines, and the joyful presence of countless characters in bustling, everyday scenes.

Her canvases capture the pulse of community life: neighbours meeting, children playing, musicians performing, and streets alive with movement. Each piece is an invitation to slow down and immerse oneself in the richness of ordinary moments, transformed into extraordinary tableaux.

About this Piece – The Lachine Canal (2025)

In this work, Gail Paré turns her eye to one of Montreal’s most iconic landscapes: the Lachine Canal. The scene brims with vitality – kayakers, cyclists, strollers, dogs, children, and families all converge along the waterfront. On one side, modern condos teem with life, their balconies full of figures watching or celebrating; on the other, the industrial red-brick heritage of the canal forms a striking backdrop, tagged with graffiti and animated by cafés, music, and gatherings. In the distance, Montreal landmarks emerge – including the famous Farine Five Roses sign and the Biosphere.

Rendered in Paré’s naïve style, the painting explodes with colour and character. Every inch of the canvas tells a story: a couple dancing, a child throwing a ball, a dog perched in a canoe. The crowded yet harmonious composition captures the essence of Montreal’s urban waterways as places of leisure, history, and togetherness.

This is not just a picture of a canal – it’s a celebration of community, an affirmation that cities are built not only of buildings and infrastructure, but of the lives and connections that flow through them.