"I didn't know it was impossible, so I did it": The audacity of the Bourgault brothers

There is a quote, often attributed to Mark Twain, that seems to have been written for Saint-Jean-Port-Joli: "They didn't know it was impossible, so they did it."

If we had to summarize the epic story of Médard, André, and Jean-Julien Bourgault, it would be with this sentence. Imagine the context: it's the 1930s. The Great Depression is hitting the world hard. Poverty is everywhere. In most Quebec homes, the priority is simply survival.

Yet, in this small village by the river, three brothers make a crazy bet. While logic would have dictated that they look for a "serious" and secure job, they decide to wager their lives on bits of wood and knives.

More than sculptors, they were visionaries.

The Bourgault brothers' audacity lay not only in their raw talent, which was immense, but also in their entrepreneurial vision. They didn't wait for the art market to come to them; they created it. They understood, long before it became fashionable, that art could be an economic driver.

They transformed their passion into a genuine local industry, attracting attention, tourists, and collectors to our region. By founding the School of Sculpture, they ensured the continuity of this expertise, transforming Saint-Jean-Port-Joli into the undisputed capital of the arts and crafts. They proved that an artist in a rural area is not condemned to anonymity or precariousness.

From the audacity of yesterday to the ambition of today

This flame, this rejection of the status quo, is the very DNA of Le Socle.

When we look at the creators who walk through the doors of L'atelier A, we see that same spark again. Times have changed, certainly. Today's challenges are no longer the Great Depression, but market saturation, the complexity of digital technology, and the difficulty of securing funding. But the spirit remains the same: to transform the impossible into reality.

At Le Socle, we consider ourselves the spiritual heirs of this audacity. Our role, as an accelerator for artists and craftspeople, is to provide modern tools to those who have the courage to create. Where the Bourgaults had their camaraderie and determination, our cohorts of accelerators (like the founders of NATOO and PETIT BAUME) have mentors, strategic funding, and a solid network.

A future shaped by innovation

We firmly believe that the next Médard or the next Jean-Julien might be out there somewhere in Quebec right now, figuring out how to make a living from their art.

At Atelier A, located at 254 Avenue de Gaspé West, we tell them: it's not impossible. It's a craft, it's a business, and we're here to build the foundation for your success.

Let's honor the Bourgaults' memory not by looking back, but by having the courage to do what others deem impossible.