Santa Barbara Maritime Museum

BIOGRAPHY
Gilbert Paquet was born in 1955 in the seaside town of Grande-Riviere located on the Gaspesie Peninsula, Quebec. His father taught classes to local fishermen. His mother stayed at home with her three boys and inspired them with her artistic nature. When Gilbert was a child he would be found building things which included rafts and tree houses. When he was fourteen, photography became very important to him and his interest was nurtured by one of his school teachers. Gilbert spent most of his time working in the darkroom in the school basement, experimenting with black and white photography rather than attending class. His art teacher insisted that he be present during class time but allowed him to pursue projects that interested him taking advantage of the classroom supplies. Gilbert's artistic nature flourished in this environment and he completed an abstract mosaic mural on one of the classroom walls mixing color and form to draw the viewer into the work.

At age sixteen, Gilbert enrolled in the Saint Jean Port Jolie Art School located in a town of the same name where many residents made their living making sculptures. The town was previously known for its shipbuilding trade which all but disappeared many years before the school was formed. Gilbert attended this school for three years studying drawing and learning a traditional form of carving. The central focus of art taught at the school was sculpture of all sizes from small pieces to those of monumental scale. Wood was the main media used, but metal, stone and bronze casting was also incorporated into the curriculum. Gilbert credits what he learned here as providing the lifelong skills that he would apply to several occupations.

Gilbert returned to school to major in film making at the University of Quebec, in Montreal. After he graduated, he satisfied his desire to travel by coming to the United States, eventually ending up in Los Angeles, designing and building movie sets for the motion picture industry. He was introduced to beautiful Santa Barbara by a friend at a time when he was ready to get back to his purely artistic endeavors. He resolved to make a living in Santa Barbara by returning to creating sculptures. He also worked as a finish carpenter on special projects for contractors and homeowners.

Gilbert learned to sail when he was a boy and went to a sailing school in France for more in depth training, eventually becoming a sailing instructor. Gilbert is the father of two grown children and has lived in Santa Barbara for twelve years. He currently resides aboard his 32' sailing vessel in the Santa Barbara Harbor. He is an artist in residence and a friend of the museum. Applications of his artistry can be found throughout the museum beginning at the kiosk where museum visitors are greeted and include the wood work in the museum entrance including the doors and the plaque the figurehead is mounted on, the Founding Donor's Bulkhead located just inside the museum, the library shelves and cases in the museum's Davis Reading Room and the aft hull outside of the Munger Theater upstairs. He has over twenty pieces of sculpture in private residences here in Santa Barbara and is responsible for fine finish carpentry in some of the finest homes and estates here as well.

WOOD CARVING DEMONSTRATIONS

Gilbert was present at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum on Sunday and Monday afternoons on the front patio located by the museum store, beginning in May and continuing through August last year. He carved an underwater scene from start to finish using the traditional woodcarving techniques that he has mastered.

working outside for public viewing

talks about his work and the technique

Gilbert is available for commisioned sculpture and design or demonstrations.
Please contact him at 805-962-9328 more more information.