Saskatchewan Artist

Leon Lacoursiere

Leon Lacoursiere was born in 1941 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Growing up in a large family, Lacoursiere was always interested in art, though did not consider it as a career until after having a family and spending many years farming. In 1980, he retired from farming and began working as a goldsmith's apprentice and cabinet maker. He learned more about working with wood through seminars and workshops with organizations including the Saskatchewan Woodworkers' Guild and Arrowmont School (Tennessee), and he received guidance from artists including Stephen Hogbin, Del Stubbs, and Michael Hosaluk.

Lacoursiere's work has been exhibited in Canada, the United States, and France, and one of his works was part of a Japanese and North American Tour entitled “East Meets West” (1999). His work has also been documented in numerous publications, including Fine Woodworking.

Lacoursiere's work is represented in collections including the Saskatchewan Arts Board, the Royal Ontario Museum, Chapel Gallery (North Battleford), Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Contemporary Museum of Art (Honolulu), Minneapolis Institute of Art, Lond Beach Museum of Art, and the Yale University Art Gallery, as well as other galleries and private collections.

Among the honours Lacoursiere has received are the Premier's Prize at the Saskatchewan Craft Council's Dimensions travelling exhibit (2002) and the Award for Excellent in Metal and the People's Choice Award at the same exhibition in 2004.

Lacoursiere belongs to the Association Francaise pour le Tournage D'Art sur Bois (France), the Saskatchewan Craft Council, and the American Association of Woodturners.

Leon Lacoursiere lives in Delmas, Saskatchewan, where he works from his studio and maintains his commitment to developing his craft, saying, “Whatever profession you're in, it is a continuous learning process. It would be a dark cloudy day when you think you know it all.”