Francine Savard’s latest paintings are an embodiment of statistical information accumulated from local weather forecasts published in the daily Montreal newspaper, Le Devoir. From 28 May 1999 to 28 June 2000, Savard compiled statistics of occurrences of common words or phrases used in the meteorological reports.
Ensoleillé, Nuageux, Ciel variable, Éclaircies, Ennuagement, Dégagement, Orages, Averses, Pluie, Neige, Flocons, Froid, Chaud, Doux, Venteux, Brumeux and Humide each became the basis for a new work, whose shape and size is also a visual calculation of the original statistic.
Savard’s practice has long explored relationships between language, visual communication and abstraction. Translated into her subtle and quiet monochromes is an abundance of organized information, meticulously collected and presented in codes of the artist’s own. Savard’s interest in detail and precision is mirrored in her immaculate craftsmanship: the hand-stretched canvases and custom structures of her paintings also engage with sculptural interests.
Francine Savard lives and works in Montreal. She has previously studied graphic design at the Royal College of Art in London UK and received her Masters in Visual Arts from Université du Québec à Montréal. Most recently, Savard has been featured in major exhibitions at the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, Galerie de l’UQAM, and the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. Her work can be found in numerous private and public collections including the National Gallery of Canada, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, the Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec and the Bank of Montreal.
  
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