First painting in the studio of my grandfather: 'Playing with colours'. |
About Maryse
Maryse Alen was born in Olen in Belgium. As a child, she spent many hours in the painting studio of her grandfather, who was a landscape artist. She was fascinated by the colours and their magical action on the canvas. One day, she made her first painting. Without giving it any thought, she simply selected the colours that called to her and started playing with light and form and colour. She let develop spontaneously what wanted to be born. The world of colours was already well known to her for a special reason. Being born with a heart defect, she frequently found herself in an inner cosmos of colour when her heart "forgot to make contact." From very early on, painting became a way to express this space by uniting colour with light. She studied at an art academy and although she gained much in knowledge and skill, she quickly realized this was not the way she had to follow. Painting was so much more for her: as essential as eating or drinking. She couldn't not paint! At the age of 31 , a diagnosis of her heart condition was at last made. Following heart surgery, her disappearing into the magical world of colours came to an end. Even if her internal colours remained strong and vivid in her paintings, the loss was very great. It was a time of deep sadness. Then, though, came a phase in which her paintings taught her how to learn to truly live, rather than just survive. After this inner journeying, she ended up in Australia, where she landed with both feet firmly on the ground. She climbed the sacred ancient mountain of Gulaga. For the Aboriginal Australians, Gulaga means "Come Home": the mountain calls you, to come home inside yourself, inside your inner nature, using nature itself. From that moment she became aware of nature and of the creative power everywhere and deep in ourselves. A year later she discovered Vedic Art and traveled to Sweden. Here she "came home". The circle was complete. Art and Life merged, becoming Life-Art. She started to teach Vedic Art in Kasterlee, Belgium and became coordinator for Belgium and the Netherlands. She now lives in Spain, Frigiliana. She passed on the role of coordinator for Belgium and the Netherlands to concentrate on her new mission as International Vedic Art Teacher & Teacher Trainer. She organizes courses and trainings at her Center in Spain and in Belgium. The colours of freedom. The full story! Available as ebook: More information |