Past Event

Biography

Following the ancient Italian tradition of the Madonnari, using temporary mediums such as chalks and pastels to reproduce famous masterpieces in town squares and public spaces, Francois Pelletier has been a pavement artist for over 20 years. As an autodidact, he has polished his craft around the globe, studying first hand the compositions and color palettes of many various major artworks (from da Vinci, Caravaggio and Delacroix amongst others) in multiple great museums, churches and other institutions. Pelletier also obtained a B.A in Religious studies at the University of Ottawa in 2007.

About the Project

On the occasion of Leonardo Cinquecento , Francois Pelletier will be reproducing the portrait of Lucrezia Crivelli, one of Leonardo’s portraits hanging in Paris, on the grounds of the University Centre Galleria. The artist will be using pavement art pastel techniques onto a specially prepared canvas. These unconventional pastel techniques allow the artist to saturate the surface with pigments and different textures in an attempt to capture da Vinci’s unique sfumato and chiaroscuro. The public is invited to follow the progress between September 18th and 20th at the University Centre Galleria as the artist works live, applying and blending every color by hand.