My Story
You were wondering who I am maybe?
People often ask me:
“When did you start drawing? Did you ever take classes?”.
Well, the answer I usually give is:
“I have been drawing ever since I could hold a pen.
And yes, I did take ten years of art classes with a portraitist who taught me classical painting”.
And it is true. If you were to scroll through my mom’s photo albums, you would see many pictures of me of all ages surrounded by pens and drawings. You would also always see vacation pictures of me either in a bathing suit or in a ski outfit weirdly sitting on the side of the road, the beach, the mountain or the boat transcribing the world around as I see it – colourful, amazing, and sometimes very happy or very dark, too.
Art is a part of me. It is what animates me the most. Up until now, it has always embodied my quiet place, my safe space, and reflected my own private escape. But I believe it is high time I opened up that escape to others who may see in my art their own escape too, whether it be a painting of their imaginary paradise, a drawing of their children, or a digitalized design of their dog.
Art exists because it allows us to get distracted for a minute from the whole world elsewhere. To take a break, breathe, and observe, feel, listen to the art around. Art is the ultimate means thanks to which human beings connect together, regardless of who they are and where they come from. It is at our core, highlights our feelings, shows our weaknesses and enhances our visions. Some are more sensible to music, dancing, movies. For me, it has always been painting.
“What do you want to do Marine when you grow up?
– I want to be an artist-painter.”
This was my response, always, aged 5 until aged 11. Then, I realized that “living under a bridge”, as some would say about artists (and not forget to remind me), was a possibility, and the risk-averse person that I am quickly disregarded art as a potential career move. It remained a hobby. But when something you love to do is ‘just’ a hobby, life eventually catches up to you and gets in the way. Between my teenage years, my studies after high school, my moving abroad (to Spain at 17 and to Rotterdam at 22), life caught up too much and I barely even took the time to pick up a pencil and a notebook anymore. I still always had one though (along with watercolours) in my suitcase for every single trip that I made, but I overall did not draw as much – as much as I used to, but also as much as I wanted to and I should have to make me fully myself, fully happy.
I studied International Business Administration in Barcelona. I finished my studies in Rotterdam. I speak four languages. I am involved in an association for children in Paris. I am a summer camp educator for children. It is all true. But still, if I had to define myself in one word, it would still be “artist”. And this has never changed since I was five. I hope that, no matter what I end up doing of my life, this never changes. I hope that art will always remain at my core.
I am an artist. My core being is artist. And I have looked for ways to let this part of me remain personal, for my close and loved ones, those who have seen me with red hair, blue hair, white hair, goth looks and all. Back then, my whole soul may have been screaming “I want to be creative”, all I could hear was “I am different”. And yes, I am. So is everyone. My difference? I see the world through my own special (and sometimes strange) lenses, and I can finally accept that the creative side of me is the only trait of my personality that has never and will never change. It keeps me together. Art is my magical spine. And I hope that through mine, you may discover your own magical spine, and be influenced to follow your dreams as I do mine today with this company.
Drawing is my escape, and for all those reasons, I no longer wish to have it remain “my little secret”. Let this be our little secret instead…
