Isabelle Arsenault and Frédéric Gauthier Open Leporello in Lac-Brome

A New Creative Sanctuary in Lac-Brome

Right in the heart of Lac-Brome, an extraordinary physical space has emerged to spotlight an often-overlooked artistic medium. Illustrator Isabelle Arsenault and Frédéric Gauthier, an editor at La Pastèque, have established Leporello, a multidisciplinary venue that functions as a boutique, bookstore, art gallery, and creative workshop dedicated entirely to illustration, according to reporting by La Presse.

While mixing artistic disciplines is nothing new, the specific combination housed within Leporello breaks entirely new ground. The couple purchased the 1881 wooden building five years ago, eventually opening the doors to the public. As Frédéric Gauthier explained to La Presse, the project was to bring the concept of the general store up to date, but centered around illustration.

Combating Generative Artificial Intelligence Through Live Art

Behind the creation of Leporello lies a pressing artistic defense. La Presse notes that the core motivation behind the space is to better promote the art of illustration, which faces threats and plundering from generative artificial intelligence. To counter this, the venue brings the public directly into contact with working creators through live public activities and artist residencies.

Visitors stepping into the boutique find a carefully curated selection of visually striking books, posters created by local and international artists, and a variety of drawing objects located just a five-minute walk from the center of Lac-Brome. The space also features a small improvised stage where musicians perform live while attendees sketch the scene, bridging the gap between performance and visual arts.

Residencies and Creative Freedom for Visiting Artists

The inspiration for Leporello’s artist residency program stemmed from Isabelle Arsenault’s own residency experience in Maine, United States. According to Arsenault, illustration is sometimes regarded as a minor art form because practitioners constantly work under client constraints. Providing a liberating context allows artists to recharge and rediscover the pure joy of creating without those commercial limits.

Ontario illustrator Kathryn Durst was the artist-in-residence who recently wrapped up a creative stay at the Lac-Brome venue, with her only professional obligation being a public observational drawing workshop. Durst described the retreat as a refreshing break from daily routines, deadlines, and teaching duties. During her stay, Durst worked on writing a forthcoming book where she handles both text and illustrations, created a small fanzine inspired by amusing French words, produced colorful mini-ceramics, and experimented with risography using equipment provided in the Leporello workshop.

Kathryn Durst, illustrator, remarked that it had been a lot of fun playing with that equipment, explaining that with the risograph you can achieve very vivid, fluorescent-style colors as well as transparent ones, which allows you to juxtapose colors.