Born on February 25th 1950, Normand Boisvert is the only son in a family of 9 children including 8 girls. His parents are fruit and vegetable merchants at the local market. The family lives in a working-class neighbourhood in Trois-Rivières, a small industrial and French-speaking town located in the province of Quebec, in Canada.

For young Normand, school is a slightly boring environment, and this leads him to draw portraits during class. From the age of 15, he leaves school to work with his father. He tirelessly continues drawing portraits and comics while working at different jobs to survive. He dreams of a career as an artist and therefore enrolls at the Collège de Trois-Rivières to learn painting. However, the art taught there doesn’t reach the artistic approach of the young Boisvert. After his first year, he quits.

Premier atelier - Normand Boisvert

Premier atelier-galerie de Normand Boisvert

His father, owning a room adjacent to the family home, offers his son Normand to set up his room and workshop there. At 17 years old, this is his first workshop. He stays in this workshop for 2 years and sells his drawings and paintings for 5$ and 15$, allowing him to support his basic needs. He produces drawings and paintings with passion and discipline. At the same time, he discovers regional painters such as Léo Ayotte and Raymond Lasnier.

At 19, to improve his life, he works in a rotisserie and by accident, finds a neighbouring vacant room. He therefore moves in this room, which also includes a bedroom area and a kitchen, as well as a large window to exhibit his art. He works hard but is still looking for answers to relieve his artist’s anguish. In 1971, he enrolls at the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières in visual arts. However, after his first class, he quickly realizes that these studies will not provide the path he hoped for.

At the same time, he exhibits his art in his town’s Cultural Center sees great success. He is praised by the local press. His has more success selling his work than ever before and leaves University after a short passage.

Boisvert then starts giving painting lessons. Being a young self-taught painter with no college or university education, he simply passes on what he knows. He is a highly successful teacher and will continue teaching for ten years or so. The income generated by the classes provides him with a certain degree of financial stability.

He exhibits more and more in shopping malls and various events. Through radio, television and journals, he becomes known to the public. From 1972 to 1974, he also produces a series of painting courses for a local television network.

In the early 80’s, he is increasingly sought by regional organizations to preside cultural events. His exhibitions increase at a staggering rate, with the peak undeniably being the launch, at the Centre culturel de Shawinigan, of his book « Normand Boisvert, Un peintre en Mauricie : peintures de l’Artiste » (1980) accompanied by a solo exhibition.