Travis Ladouceur has come a long way in a short time. Even since the last time the Barrhead Leader talked to the Barrhead based artist.
In mid April the Leader visited Ladouceur at the Barrhead Public Library where he had a number of his paintings on display.
“Right now I am undergoing somewhat of a transformation when it comes to my art,” he said, adding that the art style that now interests him the most is art deco. “I think it is a good match for my style.”
For the last four years Ladouceur has concentrated his efforts in creating Native themed art, in large part in to pay homage to his Metis heritage.
He said about a month ago he started reading and investigating art deco, saying that it really spoke to him as an artist.
“I think as a Metis I have always been trying to match my native side with my French heritage. That is why my art really doesn’t look like traditional native art. You can see its influence in my work, but it isn’t really native art, it is a style of my own,” Ladouceur said, adding that the art deco style is another attempt to bring together his native and European heritages.
Ladouceur noted that while he is still learning to integrate the two styles into his work, he believes people will notice the difference.
“I think my native art, especially my earlier pieces were sloppy, but now with the art deco influence, my work is more structured,” he said. “You can see (pointing to one of his pieces) how my lines are more rigid and straight.”
However, this is not the first time Ladouceur’s art has undergone a transformation. As a young man growing up in Edmonton the first painting he did, outside his one and only art class in Grade 10, was graffiti. And not the legal graffiti painting on walls provided by the community.
“I did a lot of sneaking around trying to find places to ply my trade,” he said, adding that he still has a love for graffiti. “It’s my first love and I think it will always be a big influence on my art.”
It was desperation that helped Ladouceur transition from a graffiti artist to one more socially acceptable and profitable. In 2010, Ladouceur said he was down to his last $20 when he decided to use his artistic skills to earn some extra money. Using a scrap piece of wood he found in an alley and paints he bought at the dollar store he painted his first painting and received $100 for the painting.
“That was the start of me really becoming an artist,” he said.
The first thing Ladouceur did after selling the painting was to join the Westlock Community Art Club. The membership cost $20. He then invested the remaining profit in buying more supplies and along with some old canvases he borrowed from his former art teacher in Barrhead, he had his first art show in Westlock.
“I really had to paint my butt off. To have an art show I had to have 10 paintings in a very short period of time,” he remembered, adding that he sold eight of those paintings during his first show.
From then on, he said he went on to have a number of showings at the Westlock Community Art Club becoming its most sold artist.
Most of the time Ladouceur said he has no problem finding subjects to paint about, they usually come right out of the top of his head, but sometimes he finds inspiration from what is happening in his life.
Recently, Ladouceur’s brother passed away and he used his pain as part of the healing process.
“My brother was planning to go to a Sundance this summer and unfortunately he won’t get that chance, so I painted this (pointing to the large painting in the centre of the Barrhead Art Club’s display) in commemoration of him. The painting is called Sundance for You,” he said adding that he is also thinking of attending a Sundance as a way to continue the healing process.
When Ladouceur isn’t painting, he said the majority of his time is spent networking and getting his name and artwork out to the public. To be a successful artist he said, not only does a person have to have talent and dedication, but be part businessperson as well.
“About 60 per cent of my time is spent on Facebook, Deviantart.com to make sure people know who I am and what my paintings look like,” he said. “I know a lot of artists, including one I am mentoring in Michigan, who have as much or even more talent as I do, but have never sold a painting.”
If anyone is interested in seeing or buying one of Ladouceur’s paintings they can visit the Barrhead Art Club on Mondays and Fridays from noon to 4 p.m. You can also check out his work through his Facebook page Travis Ladouceur Art or through DeviantArt.com.
