CHRONOLOGY
1941 - May, 17th: Birth of Jean-Pierre Augier in Nice. His father, Pierre, a native of Colomars, and his mother, Joséphine, live in the Saint-Antoine-de-Siga hamlet straddling the Levens and Saint-Blaise villages, in the hilly countryside just inland from Nice. Pierre Augier is a farmer, an olive grower, a wine grower, a hunter and a fisherman, but also a hairdresser. Being a wise and sensible man, he has a feeling for art. Joséphine Augier is a dynamic wife and mother. One of his classmate said that "Jean-Pierre had very loving parents".
1947 - Saint-Blaise primary school.
1949 - Sainte-Claire school (Levens area) run by the teacher, Miss Charpentier. Jean-Pierre goes to school on foot every day. He is fascinated by the surrounding countryside (plants and animals). He starts creating artistic objects with nature’s treasures (seeds, pine needles, clay). – The Dominican Reverend Father Lemerre, who has retired in Saint-Antoine, introduces him to art in the Prieuré du Vieux Logis he has founded in Nice. - Jean-Pierre develops an “irrepressible” need to create and show his work.
1952 - He makes his first communion at Saint-Antoine’s church. He later said that he “had been inspired”.
1955 - He obtains his certificate. As studying in Nice is not possible, Jean-Pierre ends his schooling after a year of correspondence course. Thanks to Miss Charpentier, he discovers the high mountains and the Louvre museum. From then on, he scours the museums, monasteries, churches and cathedrals in search of the beautiful which fills him with enthusiasm.
1956 - He creates necklaces and bracelets out of pine scales and sells them with the help of the sculptor Marcel Maury. He makes lamps and standard lamps with olive and juniper wood, with reed mace lampshades.
1959 - Fits out his studio flat near his parent’s house.
1961-1963 - Military service in Algeria. In the desert, in El-Oued, the camel rider sculpts wood, paints designs inspired from rock engravings of Fadnoun on terracotta. He strikes up a friendship with army friends from different regions whom he still sees nowadays.
1963 - He gets back to his handicraft. He takes an interest in old disused tools; his cousin Roger Debacq, mechanic in Saint-Blaise, teaches him how to weld.
1964 - He installs his workshop in his parent’s house’s stable and press-house.
1965 - JULY - AUGUST: First exhibition in the Levens townhall, in the company of Marcel Maury. He exhibits some wooden sculptures (birds, athletes, dancers, lamps and standard lamps…), as well as iron musician angels for whom he will be awarded the 3rd prize, a few weeks later, at the 1rst Salon des arts de Menton. From this year on, Jean-Pierre shows his work each summer in Levens.
1967 – He marries Marie-Hélène Pavillet. Laurence (1968) and Emmanuel (1970) are born from this union.
1970 - Jean-Pierre crafts only iron sculptures. Gallery owners from Mougins, Frédéric Lusson, speaks of him as ”an iron magician”, while the senator and mayor of Levens, Joseph Raybaud, considers him as “the native son”. He puts on exhibitions along with other artists like the naive painter Emile Crociani.
1973 – AUGUST: The Maison du Portal, which had been bought and renovated by the Levens town council to accommodate youth cultural activities, opens with an exhibition featuring some of Jean-Pierre’s work.
1977 – With sculptures like La Porteuse d’eau, La Maternité, Le Cheval de Troie, La Fuite en Égypte, Le Couple, Jean-Pierre’s art reaches a technical and aesthetic maturity. The sculptor begins to build up his personal collection. – He settles down with his family in the house where he still lives nowadays, in Saint-Antoine-de-Siga.
1982-1994 - Jean-Pierre takes part in the activities of the folksong group “Le Brandi levensan” led by Jean Maiffredi, instigator of the restoration of the Maison du Portal and of the cultural activities of Levens. – He organizes poetry evenings in the Maison du Portal‘s garden.
1988 - Jean-Pierre suggests using the Maison du Portal all year long for temporary exhibitions of artists of all kinds. The principle is agreed on.
1989 - JULY: First exhibition of his old tools collection at the Maison du Portal.
1990 - Jean-Pierre’s personal sculptures collection (composed of about a hundred pieces) is installed on a permanent basis in the Maison du Portal. - Jean-Pierre and Marie-Hélène get separated.
1991-1997 - He organizes concerts of musician friends in Levens.
1994 - He installs the sacred art treasure of Levens which is unveiled by the new mayor, Antoine Véran. - Creation of the Maison du Portal’s association in Levens; Jean-Pierre is elected president.
1997 - Death of the sculptor’s father, Pierre Augier. - Jean-Pierre remarries with Monika Jocham.
1998 - From December 1998 to February 1999: The “Outils et métiers d’autrefois” exhibition takes place at the Maison du Portal. Jean-Pierre shows for the second time his collection of tools he has accumulated for thirty years.
1999 - Publication of the first book "Jean-Pierre Augier, sculpteur", written by Gérard Saint-Guirons, ROM publishing house (in Nice)
2003 - Jean-Pierre Augier is honoured for outstanding achievement in the arts, as a creator.
2011 – Death of the sculptor’s mother, Joséphine Augier.
2014 - August - Last annual exhibition at the Maison du Portal. It is decided that his collection will be on permanent show. But the sculptor doesn’t retire ; he will never stop creating.
2015 – From the 10th of June to the 4th of October, exhibition at the Hospice du Grand Saint-Bernard’s museum in Switzerland, while a new book, "Jean-Pierre Augier ou l'art de voir", written by Pierre Rouyer (Les Editions du Grand Saint-Bernard) is published.
2017 - Exhibition i, the Temple du Change à Lyon
2018 - Inauguration de la Maison d'exposition de la collection de sculptures à Saint Antoine de Siga
2018 - Exhibition in the Temple de Grandson en Suisse
2021 - Exhibition au Prieuré de Bray dans l'Oise
2022 - Second exhibition in the Temple du Change à Lyon
2023 - Du 7 au 15 octobre portes ouvertes tous les jours de 10 à 12 heures et de 14 à 18 heures