Paintings returned

Local man, through some research and hard work, is able to give back coveted paintings to late artist’s family

WOONSOCKET — When David Allard’s mother, former city resident and painter Juliette L. (Desmarais) Allard, died in August 2010, she left behind a wall covered with dozens of her framed oil paintings, including two paintings by the late Anita Sutherland, an award-winning Woonsocket artist and painter in the 1960s and 70s.

Sutherland taught art classes three nights a week at her home studio on Ballou Street and two nights a week at the Y.

One of those students was Allard’s mother, Juliette, an aspiring artist who grew up on Social Street in Woonsocket before moving to Cumberland.

“My mother took painting lessons from Anita back in the early 1970s and when she died seven years ago we found two of Anita’s own paintings in her collection,” says Allard. The first painting depicts a vase with flowers, while the

second is a still life.

Allard, who lives in Smithfield, didn’t want to throw the paintings out and thought it would be a nice gesture to somehow try and return them to Sutherland or a member of her family.

“I had no idea where she was or if she was even alive,” he says.

That’s when Allard turned to his brother, Ernie in Maine. Using the Internet and social media, the two brothers last week were able to track down Sutherland in South Kingstown where she had been living in a subsidized housing complex.

“Unfortunately, we were too late. We found out she died just two weeks ago at the age of 98,” he said.

After doing some more detective work, Allard was able to locate and make contact with Sutherland’s granddaughter, Elise – and through her – Sutherland’s daughter, Laura, who lives in Florida.

Allard contacted Laura via Facebook to tell her about his quest to return her mother’s paintings.

“As it turns out, she was coming back up to Rhode Island anyway so were able to meet up in Smithfield on Tuesday,” he says. “She was very excited to see the paintings and I was happy that I was able to return them to the family.”

Allard said his mother would have been happy to know the paintings were returned to Sutherland’s family.

“I would have loved to have met Anita, but at least I can take solace in knowing that these paintings are now in the hands of her family,” he said.

Ernest A. Brown/The Call David Allard, of Smithfield, shows two paintings by Anita Sutherland he discovered in his mother's personal belongings after she had died. He wanted to return them to Sutherland, but upon inquiry, discovered she had died. Allard, instead, gave the...

Ernest A. Brown file photos Above, a painting hangs in the living room of David Allard's home, painted by his mother Juliette Allard. At left, an old photo of art teacher Anita Sutherland, pictured in 1977, who taught painting to David Allard's mother, Juliette.