Art
Véronique Gray – her journey from pain to art therapy
“The only time I feel alive is when I´m painting”
This quote is from Vincent Van Gogh. Since I read it at a recent exhibition, I can´t get it out of my mind. But why?
Four years ago painting saved my life. I was in a clinic recovering from a severe burnout. After breast cancer and so many hours overworking on various businesses and projects, without balancing work from private life, I felt I was at the end. I was not living but surviving. Sleeping and concentrating was almost impossible. My appetite was low and I was almost under weight. I had no more interests even for the people I loved the most.
I had to react and quickly. But what could save me?
ART did.
Veronique Gray painting – credit photo Luna Lucid
My debuts in painting started in November 2015. I had always loved the history of art and of the old masters and going to museums around the world. But painting myself, no way?!
In my first art therapy hours I discovered a new passion and more, a way to survive. I remembered my first class, it was the morning after the Paris massacre at the Bataclan making 129 deaths and over 350 wounded. I was in chocked and could not process the news. The teacher told me to take 3 colors and to start expressing my feelings. I painted blood falling from the sky and other things, which helped me free my anger and deepest sadness.
painting with gouache Veronique Gray
At the end I painted the Eiffel Tower. I felt alive again. I was amazed I could smile again and could be interested in something again.I had a purpose.
Art therapy is known to be beneficial for self-discovery, self-esteem, stress relief and emotional release. With me it made wonders. Not only it helped me during that burnout but also the following years going through chronic pains and the death of my aunt and grandmother.
Each time I felt lost, I would take my brushes and colors and start painting. I let my imagination leads me. It took me a while to understand that there are no mistakes in art, that it is alright to paint over and restart. You just continue and what sometimes looked like chaos and nothing, brings you to something more magical and an even better artwork than you would have imagined.
I am a self-taught artist and never took one class after my art therapy.
“Summer” Veronique Gray – credit photo Luna Lucid
While I tried gouache, watercolors, oil, pastels and acrylic it is with the last one I mostly paint. Creating abstracts and using mixed media is what I enjoy the most because it is good for my creativity and to feel the most alive. I like seing where my brushes, tools or hands lead me instead of planning. Lately I started working with plaster, sand, gold flakes and the textiles of Jakob Schlaepfer. I find it very interesting to bring new textures in my art to get depth and dimension.
pastel artwork Veronique Gray
My source of inspiration comes from nature, sunrises, sunsets, cities, my many voyages or just my imagination.
The viewer will notice eyes here and there in my artwork. Then I am not only the actor outside of my canvas but inside traveling with my birds or fish. Other times my people are the actors, looking at the world themselves. What are they thinking? Are they happy?
artist Veronique Gray – credit photo Luna Lucid
I invite you to my first exhibition “Through Our Eyes” at the AWCZ in Zurich from March 2nd to April 25th.
About Veronique Gray
Véronique Gray is French. She has lived most of our life outside of France. She was an expat in Berlin and Frankfurt after living almost 10 years in the States. She calls Zurich her home since 2006. She is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Vivamost, an online magazine for those wanting the best in life. She is an entrepreneur, who opened her first business at the age of 25 in Atlanta. She run a language school with over 8 employees. Recently she opened a vaping device shop in the States. After a BA in history, she studied journalism. She has been published in various magazines in Great Britain, Canada, France and the USA. In 2009 she started Vivamost. When she is not writing, you can find her painting, a passion she found later in life. So today when she travels she can’t leave without a pencil or her brushes.
Where
AWZC Hochsgasse 38, Zurich
When
Monday-Friday 10 am to 1 pm and weekend and evening private viewings
Vernissage on March 10th from 6 to 9 pm only with reservation.
Email artist at verogray@gmail.com to reserve your time.
