After
studying Architectural Technology at Ryerson Poytechnical
Institute and working in the field of construction for
25 years, as a specialist in sales, marketing and public
relations, Paul turned his attention to his first love,
painting and photographing Canada’s wilderness areas.
Paul started painting, in 1966, during fall sketching
trips in the Madawaska with his father, Joachim and a
number of artists, including his brother, Edmond, A.J.Casson,
Alan Collier, Anthony Law, Bruno Cavallo and others. Paul
prefers the more rugged and remote areas of Canada, from
Gros Morne Newfoundland, to the high Arctic Islands, to
the western coastal and Rocky mountains, to Algonquin
Park, Algoma, Georgian Bay and Haliburton/Muskoka.
In 1994, the Canadian Coast Guard, authorized a six week
voyage, in Arctic waters, aboard the C.C.G.S. Henry Larsen
icebreaker. Paul traveled the Labrador coast into Frobisher
Bay and along the west coast of Greenland to Lancaster
Sound, Strathcona Sound, while the Coast Guard was assisting
and guiding shipping into various Arctic communities.
Paul has traveled to the Arctic on five occasions, resulting
in showing his works in galleries across Ontario. Expeditions
on the Firth, Nahanni and Tatshenshini rivers, have made
Gauthier more aware of the fragile ecology of these habitats
and the great need to protect them from commercial encroachment.
Paul’s trip to Greenland, as Artist in residence,
for Travel Dynamics New York, aboard the vessel Illiria,
brought him in touch with various people from the scientific
community. This experience intensified his awareness of
endangered species and places.
A grant from the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, in
1987, along with logistical support from the Polar Continental
Shelf Project, allowed Paul to travel and photograph the
High Arctic Islands, for the purpose of reference material,
resulting in a showing of Arctic paintings.
Paul was commissioned by the North Channel Preservation
Society, in 1987, to produce a limited edition serigraph
of one of A.J.Casson’s paintings of Baie Fine. Mr.
Casson assisted Paul, in the artistic control of the print.
Subsequently, the Ontario Heritage Foundation has enacted
an historical brief to contain the site, named Casson
Peak.
As technical advisor in 1989, for the film, “And
There Were Seven”, produced by Conrad Beaubien of
Beaver Creek Films, on the life of A.J.Casson and the
Group of Seven; Paul gained an insight into film production
which piqued his interest in furthering the adaptation
of Art and Wilderness as a vehicle for public presentation.
In 1991, the Town of Markham honoured Paul, with the
Town of Markham Achievement and Civic Recognition Award
for Art and Cultural contribution to the community.
Paul has instructed workshops in Markham, Scarborough,
Ottawa, and Madawaska and most recently along with RoseMarie
Condon at the La Cloche Art Festival in July 2006. They
will be the featured artists of the 29th La Cloche show.
Paul’s and RoseMarie’s paintings will be on
display. They will jury the paintings entered in the Festival
www.geocities.com/laclocheartshow.
Paul’s oeuvre has been exhibited in numerous shows
in Canadian cities. His pieces belong to corporate and
private collections, including Manu-Life Centre, Nesbitt/Burns,
Toronto Board of Trade, IBM Canada, Canadian General Electric,
Merrill Lynch Co., Royal Canadian Geographical Society,
Sears Chicago, Crown Life Insurance Co., Texaco, H.R.H.
Prince Andrew and many others.
Paul is represented by, John A. Libby Fine Arts Toronto,
Canada House Gallery Banff, Natures Scene Georgetown.
He is an active member of the Arts & Letters Club
Toronto and is a member of Worldwide Nature Artists Group
at www.natureartists.com.