Monique Harvey (1950 – 2001) was a Canadian painter, draftsman, and printmaker, born and raised in Montreal, Quebec. She spent most of her life in the city, where she later passed away. Initially pursuing photography, Harvey discovered her true passion for painting at the age of 28, after taking a painting class meant to relax her. Although she later earned a Certificate of Fine Arts from the University of Sherbrooke in 1980, she considered herself primarily self-taught. Harvey’s artistic journey was deeply personal, marked by a free-spirited and impulsive approach to her work.
Harvey’s artistic career flourished in the 1980s and 1990s, during which she developed a distinctive style that blended elements of Expressionism, Fauvism, Surrealism, Naive Art, and Modernism. She often worked in oils, and her subjects ranged from portraits and still lifes to landscapes and interiors, always approached with a sense of creative spontaneity. Harvey first showcased her talents in 1983 at a group exhibition in Old Montreal, gaining immediate attention. Over the following years, she participated in numerous group and solo exhibitions, both in Canada and internationally, including major exhibitions at the Palais des congrès in Montreal, the Musée Pierre-Boucher in Trois-Rivières, and the Marc-Aurèle Fortin Museum, which hosted a retrospective of her works in 1989.
Throughout her career, Harvey’s work was featured in prestigious galleries and exhibitions across Canada and beyond. She exhibited frequently at venues like the Lydia Monaro Art Galleries in Montreal and the Hollander York Gallery in Toronto, and her works were included in significant group shows, such as the SNBA/MAGAZIN’ART Biennale at the Grand Palais in Paris in 1993 and the Entre deux chaises (Between Two Chairs) exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts in 1998. Harvey received notable recognition, including the Montréal Businessmen’s Award in 1984 and several other honors. Despite her untimely death in 2001, her legacy endures through her vibrant, colorful works that continue to inspire and captivate viewers.
