Thursday, May 20, 1999  

Dan Brown
National Post

 

ARTIST AND MODEL

Photo by Jean Jasmin / A good likeness: Artist Rene Despres   getting some inspiration.

Rene Despres is a Quebec painter and financial planner who, in 1981, produced almost 100 works of art in a 63-hour painting marathon. A new book, published under the Iconia imprint in his home city of Montreal, documents his career -- in six languages -- and is copiously illustrated with reproductions of his paintings. All but a handful are abstract. At the beginning and end of the book there are photographs showing the artist at work; these are uncaptioned, but presumably show him absorbing inspiration from muses.

- Dan Brown can be reached at (416) 383-2432 or 
  dbrown@nationalpost.com