The weather for Montreal the week I decided to travel had a very severe winter storm with 30 inches of snow on the ground. I went jus the same and I am glad I did go. By January of 1970 he died.
I sat in awe at the amount of work that this artist did over his long life. He made most of the furniture in his apartment as well as the picture frames and mirror frames. Little did I know that he had worked as a carver for George W. Hill a sculptor whom I will talk about soon? They could go into the Windsor Hotel and turn it into any time period the architect wished. When George went to Europe to do his work there Soucy took over his shop on Bleury street in Montreal. Little did I suspect that Elzear taught in the Monument National for over 20 years. His wood carvings and monuments are in churches all over the province of Quebec. I was able to get a Library paper done by Miss Cleroux (in French) translated into English by a professor so I could use the text.
A statue in Three Rivers is in bronze depicting the Priest and the work he did during his lifetime. In Notre Dame there is a Holy Family done in wood. There are portraits of famous people to add to his portfolio and even the making of a violin. They were a musical family. Where he attended church a statue done by him is at the front alter. His fireplace is a period work as is the dining-room suite and cabinets and his bedstead.
The visit was all too short but oh so necessary if I was to get there on time. While at the ceremony held in his church I ran across the daughter of G.W. Hill who lived in Westmont who offered to share the family records with me about her father and works he did in Quebec.
Everything kept falling in place at the same time and I was happy that I got all this information at that time. I must thank Donat Soucy for his help in finding the smaller works in some of the chapels of Montreal.
There are 110 photos on the C.D. that show what I am talking about and trying to foster. A very important link in our culture and I hope an addition worthy of noting.
