Description
Don’t Leave Me is a large figurative wood sculpture directly carved from staghorn sumac by artist André Médard Bourgault.
- A man holds his wife by the waist, as though trying to keep her from leaving
- Two children’s faces emerge from the lower portion of the sculpture, within natural forms reminiscent of roots
- The scene suggests a separation that could unsettle the entire family, without revealing why the woman wishes to leave
- A crocheted textile flower adds a delicate contrast to the carved wood
- Presented on a stable base
- Unique and signed artwork created in 2026
- 14 x 10 x 39½ in
A deeply narrative work reminding us that behind every separation lies a story whose many sides are never fully known.
The artist
André Médard Bourgault
Saint-Jean-Port-Joli
I have been doing wood carving for almost 60 years. I started my career in my dad’s wood shop. I’ve learned so much from him. We were five brothers sculpting together, and I’ve had the chance to exhibit with them. Our last exhibition was in 1990, at the Musée Laurier. To me, wood carving is a family thing. It allows me to perpetuate the name Bourgault as well as the tradition.
In the beginning, my sculptures often revolved around religious art. Now, my style is more contemporary and figurative. I love to carve the female body: it is so beautiful! In each of my sculptures, I like to inspire myself with a season and integrate its representation. For example, some of my characters evoke spring. Today, I work mostly with hardwoods. Apple wood and cherry wood are my favourites, due to their wonderful colour. Each time, the log’s shape tells me what I have to create.
