Art Gallery of Newfoundland and
Labrador (AGNL)
Shaped by the Sea
Permanent Collections
A multi-talented artist, Lapointe has experimented in a variety of media over the years. While probably best known for his watercolours, he has also done extensive work in lithography, acrylic painting and multimedia projects.
Born in 1942 in Port Rexton, Newfoundland, his environment quickly shaped the kind of artist he would become. Many of Lapointe's artworks focus on the landscape, for it was while walking in the woods or along beaches as a child that he first became fascinated by his natural surroundings.
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Island Seven 1974 Watercolour 57.3 x 77.3 cm 
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Lapointe spent one year at Memorial University of Newfoundland before moving on and graduating with honours from the Ontario College of Art. Afterwards, he spent several years teaching art both in Newfoundland and in Ontario. After returning home, he worked for Memorial University's Extension Service, followed by a one-year tenure as curator with the Memorial University Art Gallery in 1972-73. He left the gallery to spend more time on his artwork.
Using watercolours, Lapointe created his Islands series in 1975, focusing on the islands just off the coast near his home in Tors Cove. He also contributed 35 mm photographic slides to several collaborative multimedia projects with musician Don Wherry. He also collaborated with musician Eric West for another project, called Outport Cadence.
Lapointe's best-known work is his Newfoundland Postcards Series. Using old postcard messages and photos from around the province, he created a series of lithographs of events that have touched the lives of Newfoundlanders in a special way. The series contained over 600 prints, took three years to create and toured on exhibition internationally.
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Newfoundland Postcard Series: $1.75 a Day 1976 Lithograph, 1/27 76 x 57 cm
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In the last 15 years, Lapointe has remained active in the art community by working as a resident printmaker at St. Michael's Printshop and teaching design part-time. He has also been closely involved with the Sound Symposium, a major event held in St. John's every two years.
It was also during this time that he built his famous house in the Tor's Cove, about one hour south of St. John's. Built on the very edge of a 150-foot high cliff, it serves as a workspace and an inspiration for Lapointe's art. It has also been featured in several magazines.
Lapointe's artwork has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the world. His work can also be found in a wide variety of public and private institutions, including the National Gallery of Canada, the Canada Council Art Bank, the Art Gallery of Ontario, the Bank of Nova Scotia and Air Canada, to name just a few. Lapointe still works and paints in Tor's Cove.
