Paul Paquette
Paul Paquette was born in Cornerbrook, Newfoundland, in 1962. In 1985, he was accepted into the commercial art program at Capilano College in North Vancouver. After completing college, Paul pursued a career as an illustrator and graphic artist. In 1993, he bought a 30-foot sailboat and explored the waters of Southern British Columbia for the next three years. His paintings of this period often reflect the many shapes and moods of the coast and the Gulf Islands. By 2000 Paul began exhibiting in commercial galleries in British Columbia, which further increased his public exposure. Later in 2003, he resigned from his position as a graphic artist and began painting full time.
"It's been a long road, but the journey isn't nearly over. Just when I feel my energy beginning to flag, I find a new subject or try a different approach, and the excitement and enthusiasm rise up all over again. Painting isn't work to me – not in the conventional sense of the word – it's something I become completely absorbed in, where I lose all track of time. My easel is like a laboratory, and I feel compelled to try new things all the time – this is what keeps painting challenging and exciting. I am my own toughest critic, and I set my expectations higher each time I sit down to paint."
West End Gallery respectfully acknowledges the Lekwungen peoples, specifically the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, on whose traditional lands our Victoria gallery stands. We also acknowledge that our Edmonton gallery is situated on Treaty 6 territory, a traditional gathering place for diverse Indigenous peoples, including the Cree, Blackfoot, Metis, Nakota Sioux, Iroquois, Dene, Ojibway/Saulteaux/Anishinaabe, and Inuit.