Jean-Paul Riopelle (Montreal, 7 October 1923 – 12 March 2002) was a painter and sculptor from Quebec, Canada. His style changed quickly in the 1940s from Surrealism to Lyrical Abstraction (related to abstract expressionism). His paintings were characterized by the use of impasto and colour. He used a palette knife or a spatula to apply paint and create strong and powerful compositions. His style has often been compared to that of Jackson Pollock.