Interview
Gaetanne Lavoie
Gaetanne Lavoie is a professional artist currently based in Fredericton NB. Holding two MFA degrees from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, California (earned 2008) and the New York Academy of Art (earned 2013), respectively, Lavoie has since garnered notable accolades for her painting, including her 2015 wins both of an award of merit from the American Women Artist’s Spring Juried Show and of first place in Montreal’s Global Art League competition. Lavoie has also enjoyed the feature of her work in various publications, including among the pages of SLICE Magazine (2017), Voyage MIA Magazine (2018), and Canvas Rebel (2024). Lavoie has also developed her talents as both curator and educator. Beyond her curatorial work with such prestigious venues such as the Tett Gallery in Kingston, Ontario, and the New York Academy of Art, Lavoie has led classes at various institutions, including St. Lawrence College and the Kingston School of Art. She is currently focused on developing her new line of work andspends most of her work hours in her studio.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I started drawing at around 5 years old. I wasn't very good but my family noticed over the years that when I was drawing I was still and could remain still for hours. I didn't need much, a few pieces of printer paper and some HB pencils. I would lay on the floor in front of the TV and disappear into my drawings. I remember eavesdropping on the adults admiring my youthful flexibility in being able to lay on a hard floor for hours without pain. High school is when I decided to pursue art making as a career and chose to get a formal education in Fine Art.”
What inspires you?
“The human condition. God. The Earth. People. Love. Pain.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“The human condition seeking higher consciousness and what that looks like, the good, the bad and the ugly.”
How would you describe your work?
“Sometimes, my work is dark, ethereal, surreal and it contains figurative narratives.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Jenny Saville, Lucian Freud, Andrew Salgado, John Jacobsmeyer, Andrea Kowch and Dino Valla,”
“Sometimes, my work is dark, ethereal, surreal and it contains figurative narratives.”
What is your creative process like?
“It starts with life. As I pass through every day, I ponder the happenings of life, sometimes on a grand scale and sometimes on a small scale, and ideas start to stir. As I engage in conversations and have experiences, pictures start to develop in my mind that turn into compositions. As the composition develops, I find a model that suits that composition. I prefer to use people that I know because some part of them fits the narrative. In recent years, I've started with a rendered drawing that has the composition realized then transfer the drawing to linen for the painting.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“We are the free thinkers of the world. In order to create what we create we have to think critically, analyze independently and take responsibility for ourselves completely. It's a challenging road that could take a lifetime but one that leads to innovative ideas, foresight, and a profound understanding of humanity.”
