On Wednesday, October 16, Ville de Saint-Lazare was delighted to welcome art and nature lovers to the Parc nature les Forestiers-de-Saint-Lazare for the inauguration of a brand-new sculpture by local artist Annie de Lorimier.

The work, entitled Cohabitation, was created from clay and a piece of maple found in the forest of a private estate in Vaudreuil-Soulanges. According to Ms. de Lorimier, “there's an intimate relationship between wood and clay. Clay nourishes plants, and plants nourish the earth through their decomposition at the end of their life”. The artist seeks to reveal the beauty of nature and hopes to encourage reflection on the conservation of natural environments which represent “the lungs of the earth, whose luxuriance ensures biodiversity”, she adds.

This approach is far from being isolated or spontaneous. It was initiated by filmmaker and documentarian André Desrochers, greatly committed to the arts and the environment. As part of a documentary on Suroît trees, he enlisted the services of regional artists to show how trees continue to enrich us, even after their death, when they pass into the hands of passionate and dedicated artists. The documentary's upcoming broadcaster, CSUR.TV , was on site to highlight the work of their colleague.

Also present at the inauguration were artists Chantal Bourque, Louise Page and Richard Caplette. Their works will be displayed in Beauharnois and the Haut-Saint-Laurent MRC, among other places.

At Ville de Saint-Lazare, André Desrochers' creative process quickly charmed elected officials and administrators, as environmental values are cherished and ingrained in all municipal services. What's more, the City wants to make ever more room for the arts and culture, and works hard to guarantee their accessibility. To mark the occasion, Mayor Geneviève Lachance, along with Councillors Donald Andrews and Brian Trainor, were on site. Ms. Lachance, who is also vice-president of the board of directors of Conseil des arts et de la culture de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, thanked Mr. Desrochers and Ms. de Lorimier for their generosity.

The work can now be admired at any time during the opening hours of the Parc nature les Forestiers-de-Saint-Lazare, just a few steps inside the site along the main path to the facilities.