A SHORT BIOGRAPHY
Lesley Diane Beaupré is British-born professional artist whose Muse has led her from the Canadian prairies to a tiny Caribbean paradise to the Greek island of Corfu. A self-taught artist she began creating her puzzling images almost 40 years ago 'as an antidote to the endless prairie winters'. Her work was immediately well received. Exhibitions included solo shows at Calgary’s prestigious Canadian Art Galleries and the Muttart Public Art Gallery, participation in the Calgary '88 Olympic Arts Festival and in The Art of the Mask at the International Gallery, San Diego USA. Following these successes, though, her career in the performing arts soon afforded little opportunity to paint, so a decade later Beaupré left for the southern Caribbean where she would devote time to her art.
Here on the Grenadine island of Bequia her repertoire of personal mystical imagery flourished against a brilliant tropical backdrop. Painting under the name L.D. Lucy she opened her home studio/gallery ('up the goat path’) to the public until 2008 when a successful solo exhibition at Barbados’ Gallery of Caribbean Art inspired her to open a full-time harbourside venue. Thus the Oasis Art Gallery Bequia was launched. With carefully curated exhibitions of locally made work, the Oasis gained reknown as the country’s premier art venue. Gallery opening nights became a ‘must do’ of the winter tourist calendar and Beaupré herself with new exhibitions each season became established as one of the region’s leading visual artists. Although encouraged to pursue international exhibition opportunities she declined for many years, knowing that Bequia’s cultured, adventurous, affluent visitors were clientele enough for the recognition she deserved and that they placed her art in collections worldwide.
Eventually, however, in 2019 Beaupré returned to Europe with plans to expand her art practice and participate in art fairs and exhibitions. Her first was Worlds beyond Words at the Menier Gallery on London's southbank; sadly, Covid would soon close down the exhibition sector. Beaupré journeyed on to Greece, birthplace of myths and mermaids, to settle on the island of Corfu where she worked on restoring an old stone house in the shade of the village's oldest olive tree. She became a gardener and her art explored our pandemic locked-down world.
By spring 2022 the islands were becoming lively once again. Beaupré was encouraged to undertake another creative project and open The Gallery, Kinopiastes for the summer season, just round the corner from her home studio. Although short-lived, it was a lovely addition to this picturesque traditional village in central Corfu: new friends were met and a next generation of upcoming artists inspired. Today, Beaupré continues to work and welcome visitors amidst her Corfu "palette of green".
From an Caribbean sea-side art gallery to a farmhouse studio beneath an ancient Greek olive tree on the island of Corfu