Marie Balthazar

Marie Balthazar completed her primary and secondary studies in Montreal.   She studied Spanish at Cerro de Pasco in Peru (1965-70), art at Mandeville in Jamaica (1970-72) and pottery at the Fifth Street Studio in Saskatoon.   She continued her studies at the University of Saskatchewan (BFA Honours, 1983; B.Ed. A.D., 1985).   Marie has taught art in the public school system and at the Mendel Art Gallery .   She has been a guest artist with the University of Saskatchewan, Department of Art, in 1984, with the University of Regina (Scholastica) in 1987, and with the Association des Artistes de la Saskatchewan at Fort San in 1992.   Marie has been a court artist for CBC.   Her work has been shown at the Gordon Snelgrove Gallery, University of Saskatchewan, at St. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan and at the Frances Morrison Library, Saskatoon.   In 1982 and 1997 Marie's art was exhibited at the Biennial Art Show at the Mendel Art Gallery.   In 1993 Marie coordinated, and participated in, an exposition of works created by francophone artists which traveled across the province.   Her most recent solo exhibition, "Juste Autour", was at Le Relais in Saskatoon in 1998.   Marie's works are in collections around the world including France, England, Germany, Sweden, the United States and Canada.  

"For some, her paintings depict landscapes from Saskatchewan and Quebec.   For Marie - the sky, the forests, all the natural elements are places where she lets her emotions roam.   Her brush stroke goes beyond that of a simple description.   Her work is her soul's reflection: the madness of her tormented skies, the solitude of the tree in the forest, the radiance of the blazing bush.   Marie speaks not only of colours, spaces, light - but also of the "forest's interior", spirituality and passion."