Louis Boekhout

Biography

Born to Theodoor Boekhout et de Anna Maria Heijs, in Bergen-op-Zoom, raised for the most part in Indonesia, he began his training at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp at the age of 19 where he studied under Floris de Cuyper and later perfected his training in France.

The onset of World War II forced Boekhout to momentarily put his painting career on hold.

After the War, he immigrated to Québec, where he got acquainted with Marc-Aurèle Fortin (1888–1970).

He finally settled in Chénéville, Quebec circa 1970 where he bought a small cottage. The surroundings and peacefulness of the country were an endless source of inspiration. He also thought painting classes and gave French lessons. He had a talent for finding water and was a well known healer.

Work

Boekhout is a master in both oils and water colors. His art lies somewhere in between the Dutch School, the Barbizon school and Impressionism. He enjoys painting outdoors where his inspiration are his surroundings; and indoors where his inspiration are his memories and his imagination. He never paints from photographs nor from illustrations.

His philosophy and spirituality transcend his works and give them a very peculiar lightness.

Boekhout is also a master at detecting colors and nuances in his surroundings and renders these splendidly in his art.

Boekhout spent many years teaching at the Presentation High School, a residential school for problem youngsters, in Montebello, Quebec.

Collections

Boekhout's art work can be found in public collections like at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, as well as in private collections worldwide such as Collection Le Portal Art Tour, and even at the White House.