I'm Monique and I'm an INTENTION-SEEKING
💗LOVE BOMBER!💥
I BELIEVE:
ART has the POWER to HOLD a space for us and EFFECT CHANGE in our lives. During chaotic periods in my own life (and there has been many of them!) no matter how "cluttered" my head-space or how overwhelmed I feel - PARTICULAR paintings have given me cause to hit the PAUSE button -take a much needed TIME-OUT and spend a few minutes just BEING!
We CAN and SHOULD dream BIG and TAKE ACTION towards making our DREAMS COME TRUE
COLOUR can HEAL
Art chooses US - and NOT the other way around
INTENTION is the mother of INVENTION
In dropping random "LOVE-BOMBS" on my VIP's!
Me- Chucking
"Love Bombs!"
PROFESSIONAL ARTIST
MARKETING DIRECTOR: ArtFair.Wales
QUALIFIED EDUCATOR
FOUNDER: Artetypes Supporting Creative Futures
CREATIVE CONSULTANT & COACH
CHUCKER OF LOVE-BOMBS
My Art Is:
POURED directly onto the substrate from CUPS, BOWLS and JUGS. I RARELY use a BRUSH
ALL about PATTERN and how we make sense of our world
CONNECTION to our universe, our planet and one another and our NEED for BELONGING.
I Love:
ORGANIC SHAPES fused with INTRICATE PATTERNS
Taking the FAMILIAR and placing it in an OUT-OF-CONTEXT environment
PLAYING with perceptions of TIME and SPACE
CREATING ORDER from CHAOS!
My Story:
For years, I stood on the side lines, never being fully “present”, yet desperately wanting to feel included and waiting for an invitation to the party. I closely observed connections between people and the patterns they repeat, both healthy and unhealthy – as a detached bystander. Most of my childhood was spent trying desperately to “fit in”, “belong” and connect, whilst my adult life has been turbulent and most notable for constant upheaval, separations and latterly chronic ill-health.
In 2008, I took a sabbatical from my life in Training & Education and flew out to South America en-route to Hawaii. 3 days after arriving in Chile my friend and I narrowly escaped death, when the coach we were travelling in was involved in a head-on collision. We were seated directly behind the driver of the coach who was killed instantly as was the driver of the other vehicle.
The rest of the trip was dogged with back-to-back disease and catastrophe and although I will always treasure the time, I got to spend in Hawaii, by the time I returned to the UK I was physically, mentally and emotionally broken.
I didn’t work for a long time. At my lowest point, I signed up for an Adult Education painting class for just a few hours a week, a simple act which would change the course of my life completely. A few months later I’d rented a small office as studio space and was researching ways to paint without using brushes, as on-going health issues still prohibit prolonged brush-work.
That was nearly 4 years ago and today things are very different. Along the way I've had endless practical and emotional support from family, close friends and CONNECTIONS my art has brought me. I’m no “overnight sensation” and no single event has ever propelled me into the ranks of “superstar artist”, but slowly and steadily... I started getting HIGH PROFILE FEATURES, was invited to submit for JURIED EXHIBITIONS and CURATED ONLINE GALLERIES, received representation by PHYSICAL GALLERIES and have grown a loyal SOCIAL MEDIA following and CLIENT BASE who are a COMMUNITY of wonderful people who totally get what I'm about!
The days of constant egg sandwiches are far behind me (although I still enjoy them on occasion😊) and my work has led to experiences I only dreamt of not so long ago. I’m proud to call myself a “professional artist” and have recently returned to my educator roots through my ART MARKETING COURSE which is about to launch online. My students share with me on a regular basis the part I have played in their own TRANSFORMATIONS and each one gladdens my heart!
And then...MAGIC happened...!
My life began to revolve around art. CREATING was the only time I got “out of my own way”. It didn’t matter that I was ill, lived in my own head and spent a lot of time alone. It didn’t matter, that I was constantly having to move home or that many of those early studio visitors didn’t really “get it” (fluid art wasn’t even a “thing” back then) or that I barely had enough money to buy food each week.
I didn’t care – I lived on egg sandwiches for months (and mum's home-cooked ready meals) and painted as often as my health allowed.
My work forces me out of my comfort zone on a regular basis. My artistic journey is an on-going roller coaster of self-discovery and instead of watching from a distance I actually get to participate – with INTENTION! How exciting is that?!
Through spontaneous reaction and technique, I can exert a degree of control and manipulation on LIQUID ACRYLIC which I POUR from cups, jugs and bowls (it’s incredibly “zen”) and create something intriguing and beautiful. In those precious moments, I am FULLY present - I BELONG to MYSELF and I am FREE- no invitation necessary.
My Process
Starts with...
INTENTION!
FLUID ART is now a global movement😍
Part of its current mass appeal lies in the fact PAINT POURING seemingly lacks rules or structure, the implication being for the novice or untrained artist it' s easy to learn. In reality – it is – but it's also fiendishly difficult to MASTER.
My work takes time, effort, technical expertise and lots of experiments (some of which are EPIC fails)! I often pour in MULTIPLE LAYERS to create an IMPASTO effect, not usually associated with this style of painting. As a result I am often told my work doesn't resemble that of other fluid artists?
Once a backdrop or foundation has been established, up to 10 FURTHER LAYERS may be added at key moments during the drying process. This entails a degree of risk and uncertainty along with SKILL and INTENTION.
My Vision:
To elevate my PRACTICE to the highest level of ARTISTIC EXPRESSION I am personally capable of and in turn INSPIRE others to do the same.
My Mission:
To SHARE transformational ART, KNOWLEDGE and LOVEBOMBS with like-minded INTENTION SEEKERS all over the world!
sOme LoVe BomBs drOPPed on Me:
"Wow Monique-what an extraordinary gift you have in your art! Just breathtaking the kinds of paintings you create. I treasure mine!"
Courtesy of Dawn L:
Collector - USA
"As the owner of 7 of Monique's paintings, I think I'm seriously addicted!"
Courtesy of Gwen P:
Collector -Wales
"Monique's paintings are truly unique, and range from representation of the wonders of nature to abstract pieces that would brighten up any interior design."
Courtesy of John & Ann B:
Collectors - Australia
..like a "Pink Floyd"
light show on speed!...
Courtesy of John & Kim A:
Collectors - UK
"I never liked contemporary art until I saw Monique's work."
Courtesy of Jan K:
Collector - UK
"Incredible work that you can stare at for hours and still find new and interesting things in!
love, love, love it!"
Courtesy of Hannah F:
Gallery Owner - UK
and ENDS with:
GRATITUDE!
I FEEL BLESSED and am TRULY GRATEFUL!
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