L’Enchenteur, 1960

Private Collection, Calgary

Roald Nasgaard and Ray Ellenwood, Automatiste Revolution: Montreal, 1941-1960, Toronto, 2009, page 79 Roald Nasgaard, Abstract Painting in Canada, Toronto, 2007, page 174

Favouring a heavy application of paint with her early canvas works, Letendre oscillated between the palette knife and brush application of paint. A variety of textures was central to completed works with a mixture of sculptural areas of dimensional paint and smooth strokes. Exploration of the tactility of the medium, the importance of sharp contrast, and light and energy to evoke intense compositions, was integral of Letendre's work in the 1960s. “L'Enchenteur” exemplifies the artist's commitment to dark tonalities sharply contrasted with light pigments to incite energy. This work at first presents a more subtle contrast between the dark brown and black pigments, however, upon further inspection, bright streaks of fiery orange and yellow seen at the lower edge of the composition begin to play off of the bright cobalt blue hues at the upper edge of the work. Balancing between these contrasting colours, two intentionally applied central forms of white over top of the black band of pigment anchor the composition. On Letendre's technique, Roald Nasgaard writes that this contrast is “deployed with dramatic expressiveness but occluding most vestiges of Automatiste illusionism.” In this sense, Letendre carved a unique space of her own in both the dialogue and representation of abstract art in Canada as a distinct and equal contributor to the discourse.