Born 1942 in Johnville, Baie-du-Febvre, Quebec 

Yvon Breton demonstrated artistic ability from an early age. He enrolled at Montreal’s École des Beaux-Arts in 1962 and five years later he won the prestigious Prince Fine Arts Award at the Canadian National Exhibition. In 1988 Breton became the first Quebecer to be awarded the Prix René d’Anjou from the French government. His early success led him to fully dedicate himself to his artistic practice.

While Breton has experimented with watercolour, ink, charcoal and pastel, his medium of choice is oil, which he applies on the canvas with a palette knife to create unique textures. His exceptional palette strokes and his ability to fuse asymmetrical strokes and movements into a concise painting is one of his most recognizable traits.

Breton compares his work to poetry; a visual poetry inspired by the shapes, colours and movements of the wilderness. Amateurs and collectors alike appreciate his passion for nature, evident in all of his work. Breton claims to be pacifist, industrious, sensitive and lonely. He always paints alone, but alone with nature, the creative breath that animates his paintings.

EDUCATION

1959-62

École des Beaux-Arts, Montreal, Quebec (Graphic & Visual Arts) 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2010

State of the Art Gallery, Toronto, ON

2001

Stephen Lowe Art Gallery, Calgary, AB (Duo Show with Alex Fong)

2000-2005

Galerie Québec-Art, Quebec, QC

1998-2005

Galerie Les Peintres Québécois, QC

1998

Galerie Michel-Ange, Montreal, QC

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2016

Chase Art Gallery, Beaconsfield, QC

2010

Stephen Lowe Art Gallery, Calgary, AB 

2003-1998

Galerie Michel-Ange, Montreal, QC

2002

Ville Saint-Laurent, QC 

2001

Galerie Art & Style, Baie-Saint-Paul, QC

1999

Musée régional Vaudreuil-Soulanges, QC

1998-94

Galerie Pauline Johnson, Montreal, QC

1998

Musée des Beaux-Arts, Montreal, QC

HONOURS AND AWARDS

1988

Prix René d’Anjou, ville de Lorraine, Quebec, Canada 1st Prize, open category, Association

Culturelle Ste-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec, Canada

1967

Winner of the Price Fine Art Award

PUBLICATIONS

Magazinart, Le poète des formes et couleurs (Dominic Villeneuve), No. 89, 2010 

Guide Parcours, Montreal, February 1998

COLLECTIONS 

Ass. Gravel & Ginchereau, Montréal 

Banque Nationale du Canada 

BSI Inc., Montréal 

Caisses populaires Desjardins 

Hydro-Québec

Systenatix, Montréal 

Assurances La Capitale 

Bombardier, Valcourt 

CAE Electronics, Saint-Laurent 

Canadian Pacific

Petro Canada Corporation des entrepreneurs généraux du Québec 

Groupe Lyras 

Ross Avocats Inc., Ste-Thérèse 

University of California, Berkeley (hung in the Chancellor’s Residence) 

CN Facility Management