Paul
Bourgault, Artist
Paul
Bourgault was born and raised in Laconia, New Hampshire where
he aspired to art at an early age. After a year as a taxidermy
major at the University of Iowa and a semester of forestry at
the University of New Hampshire, he attended the Art Institute
of Boston where he earned an associates degree in advertising
art and graphic design.
Next came three years in the US Army Corps of Engineers where
he was trained as a map compiler. During his last two years of
active duty he worked as a topographic map editor on Ford Island
in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Upon completion of his military obligation in '69, he ventured
to Southern California where he established his own design and
advertising agency specializing in business-to-business advertising.
By the end of '94, weary of the swirling masses of humanity and
shaken by the Northridge Quake, Paul and his wife Marguerite decided
to make their dream move to Lane County, Oregon. Here they could
find a sense of community, a much better quality of life, and
Paul could dedicate more time to developing his skills as a watercolor
artist.
Since their arrival in the Spring of 1995, Paul has taken watercolor
classes at LCC plus numerous workshops with accomplished watercolor
artists including Arnie Westerman, Carlton Plummer, Don Andrews,
Barbara Nechis, Cheng-Khee Chee and Serge Hollerbach.
Paul is a member of the Emerald Art Association a strong advocate
for the Emerald Art Center in Springfield. He is also a member
of the Watercolor Society of Oregon and serves on the WSO Publications
Committee where he produces the quarterly newsletter, Watermark,
and two annual show catalogs.