Marc St. Pierre, 67, of South Dartmouth, Massachusetts, passed away suddenly on December 2, 2019. He leaves behind his wife of 45 years Nicole (Langlois), his sons Antoine and Olivier, and Olivier’s partner Korie Ellis, his grandchildren Greyson Gomes and twins Henri and Jacq St. Pierre.
Born in the town of Cochrane, Ontario, Canada, Marc grew up in Québec City. He was the beloved son of the late Gisele (Letellier) and Marcel St. Pierre. He is survived by his siblings, Murielle St. Pierre, Louise St. Pierre (Jocelyn Caron), Guy St. Pierre (Denise Clouston), Josée St. Pierre (Ghislain Vadnais), his sisters-in-law Esther Langlois (Yves Roy), and Marie Claude Langlois (Sylvain Pelletier), and many nieces and nephews.
Marc received his BFA degree in 1976, from Laval University in Québec City, Canada. He then studied with Stanley William Hayter at Atelier 17 in Paris in the fall of 1976, and spent a semester at the Centre de Gravure Contemporaine in Geneva in 1977. He received his MFA degree in 1979 from Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, Illinois.
Marc was a Professor of Printmaking at Swain School of Design in New Bedford Massachusetts, from 1979 to 1988. At the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, he taught printmaking and photography from 1988 until his retirement as a Professor in 2017. In addition he served as the Freshman Director for four years before being the chairperson of the Fine Arts Department for seven years.
Marc was a man of many talents and skills. An accomplished and respected artist, his work was exhibited widely, most recently at Dedee Shattuck Gallery in Westport, Massachusetts. His work is represented by Harmon Gallery, in Wellfleet, and Anthi’s Drawing Room, in New Bedford. He conducted numerous workshops, among them Haystack in Maine, Nocciano in Italy and Isle De Ré in France. He was an artist in residence at St. Michael’s Printshop in Newfoundland, Canada in 1998. Over the years, Marc advised countless undergraduate and graduate students, many of whom became accomplished and well known artists in their fields.
Marc along with his wife Nicole was active in the local art community, maintaining a studio at Cove Street and then at Hatch Street Studios since 1998. Marc and Nicole were the proprietors of Gallery 65 in New Bedford, where they also shared a studio. Besides being an accomplished printmaker and painter, Marc was also known for his pinhole photography, often using cameras he constructed himself.
Self taught in carpentry, plumbing, electrical work, masonry repair and many other skills, at the time of his death he was renovating the home in Padanaram that he and Nicole purchased for their retirement. He was an avid cyclist and an excellent bike mechanic.
Marc was a devoted son and husband, a loving father and grandfather, and a wonderful friend to so many in the art community and beyond. He will be sorely missed by countless former students, colleagues, friends, and especially by his loving family.
Visitation will be held at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford on Saturday, December 14, 2019, from 1:00-5:00 pm. A memorial celebration and retrospective of his work will take place in March 2020 at a date to be announced at the Dedee Shattuck Gallery in Westport, MA. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made to UMASS Dartmouth, with the memo: Marc St. Pierre Scholarship, and mailed to: 285 Old Westport Road, Dartmouth, MA 02747. For directions and guestbook, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.