Michel Saulnier: When art becomes monumental

Portraits of Creators / Inspiration by Le Socle

In Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, wood carving is a tradition. But some artists have embraced this tradition, looked it in the eye, and decided to nurture it until it reaches for the sky.

Today, for our Creator Portraits series, we focus on a gentle giant of our region: Michel Saulnier.

For the entrepreneurs supported by Le Socle, Michel is more than a sculptor: he is a career model who has managed to combine the intimacy of the workshop with monumental public space.

The aesthetics of memory

What strikes you first about Saulnier is his unique ability to evoke childhood. Not a naive childhood, but a profound, sometimes mysterious one.

His works often feature animals—the ever-present bear, but also birds and hares. He uses wood, a noble and emblematic material of our region, but he works it in a contemporary way, often combining it with bronze or aluminum.

He has achieved this aesthetic feat: creating forms that seem familiar, like antique toys found in an attic, but on a scale that commands respect. He proves that art doesn't need to be hermetic to be intelligent. He speaks to the heart before it speaks to the head.

Art as a public service

If Michel Saulnier is an inspiration for Le Socle, it's also because of his mastery of public art.

The most touching example is undoubtedly his work "Je suis là" (I Am Here), installed in front of the Sainte-Justine University Hospital Center in Montreal. An immense, benevolent bear, seemingly standing on tiptoe to look out the window and greet the sick children.

This is a masterclass for any artist: your art has a function. It can soothe, it can mark a territory, it can become a point of reference for thousands of people. Michel Saulnier has taken art out of the plush galleries and into real life, into public squares, libraries, and hospitals.

From Saint-Jean-Port-Joli to the world

Michel Saulnier lives and creates here. He demonstrates that it's not necessary to move to a major city to have a national career. On the contrary, his regional roots nourish his work.

At Atelier A, this is precisely the spirit we want to cultivate. Whether you're sculpting, painting, or coding, remember that your roots are not chains, but a springboard.

Michel Saulnier has taken the vocabulary of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli (wood, wildlife) and translated it into a universal language. This is the challenge we present to all our future members:

How will you make your art monumental?