Île Verte attracts and inspires many artists. One of them, Jean-Bernard Ouellet, has lived in and been inhabited by the island landscape for over forty years. Let him tell you about his passion: capturing and painting the island’s colours...
“I’ve lived on Île Verte for almost thirty years. I’ve tried to explore the island in a thousand ways: walking, biking, snowshoeing, boating, skiing, dog sledding... Its beauty and mystery, its savagery and tranquillity fascinate me, winter, spring, summer and fall. It is easy to cultivate my tendency to daydream here. My painting is representational and is part of this process of exploring the island: the St. Lawrence, the constantly changing light, the restful and imposing rock formations, the bare spruce, the small houses... there is always something to please the eye no matter the season. Through my paintings, I try to capture the essence of the diverse aspects of the island – whether the western or the eastern tip, the south shore or the north.
“If we rediscover the child within as we age, I have to say that, here on the island, I have rediscovered the landscapes of my childhood in Témiscouata in many ways, with the added bonus of the beautiful St. Lawrence that changes with the tides.
“Deciding to live on Île Verte was a terrific decision.”
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Each year, the festivities for Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day – Quebec’s national holiday – wrap up with a huge bonfire on the beach, with the Île Verte lighthouse as backdrop. What a magical spectacle!
The Sentier de la Bouette (or “Mud Trail," in English) is a unique crossing on foot from the mainland to Île Verte at low tide, takes place once a year during the summer. For a few hours, the tide is low enough to let visitors walk across to the island. The crossing begins while the tide is still going out and ends before it starts coming in. Participants return to the mainland by boat during high tide. What an unforgettable experience!
La Boutique du Bout-d’en-Bas regroupe une vingtaine d’artistes, de créateurs-artisans de l’Île Verte et des villages aux alentours. Située à une centaine de mètres du chemin de l’Île, la Boutique est lieu d’exposition et de vente, un espace convivial où l’art côtoie l’utilitaire. Vous y trouverez des sacs passe-partout en toile et cuir; les produits des Récoltes du Bout-d’en-Haut (savons artisanaux et bougies faites à la main à l’Île); des bijoux « marins » et autres; des modèles réduits des anciens chalands; des aquarelles représentant des paysages et des maisons de l’Île; des œuvres originales sur papier et panneaux de bois scellées sous résine époxy; le recueil de poésie Notre-Dame-des-Sept-Douleurs; des sculptures et figurines de Pierre-Henry Fontaine; des objets en bois, planches à découper, jeux, etc.; des livres d’occasion; des objets anciens; des tricots et des tissages; des sacs en voiles recyclées; des porte-clés et bien d’autres souvenirs. La Boutique abrite aussi un espace Hommage à Gilles Carle.
