Noel Ducharme - 1921-1988

Noel Ducharme (Negausung: Sunrise)
1921-1987

“I am a lucky man, you see. My work is also my greatest pleasure” 

Born in 1921 in Nipigon Ontario and has lived in Thunder Bay since the age of six. Noel was raised primarily by his remarkable resourceful mother. “it was my mother who built our log cabin, and she could cut wood and hunt like a man.” Noel’s exceptional understanding and appreciation of animal and plant life were taught to him by Josephine, his mother, on their trapping missions, as were the Indian legends on which he bases most of his work.

After twenty years as a seaman on the Great lakes, an accident on board ended his career and left him with a permanent walking disability. It was the sea captain on his last ship, who had been observing Noel’s sketching, who recommended he become an artist. He asked Noel to do a painting of his ship and the sea captain became Noel’s first customer. For fifteen years now, painting has been Noel’s life’s work. He has since had showings in London, England, New York, California and across Canada.

In 1973 the Department of Indian Affairs commissioned Noel Ducharme to paint for his Queen. Noel was delighted with the honor. The ceremony, which was held on Thunder Bay Mount McKay, was not what he had expected: “I was warned by one of the men around the Queen, that I must not come within 3 feet of Her Majesty. My painting was handed to her by Miss Mount McKay, Margaret Collins and something wonderful happened. The Queen walked over to me and said she would be happy to hang my painting in her living room. The Prince also smiled and gave me a pat on the back. I was nearer three feet, but they did not seem to mind.

Noel has just completed his first two sets of Limited Edition prints. We hope theses prints may allow more people to share in the joy and beauty of creation which is meant to be ours.