I love it when the work of a new-to-me artist pops up in my Instagram feed and brings a big smile to my face! That’s how I felt when I “discovered” Marie Santos. (Of course, I’m a little late to this party, because over 8,000 followers before me had already found her, but…I’m still celebrating my good fortune!)
Marie refers to herself as a Modern Impressionist artist who works in oils, watercolors, gouache and acrylics.
She was born in Montreal and grew up fascinated with arts and crafts. Art was always a part of her life, and from a young age she imagined that she would grow up to be a professional landscape painter one day.
But…like so many other creatives… the practicalities of earning a living caused her to turn toward commercial art instead of pursuing fine arts. As a result, she graduated with a diploma in Interior Design – which seemed like a more “dependable” profession. But she quickly realized that something was missing.
Despite her longing to paint, Marie lacked confidence in her own artistic skills. So, she spent years doing everything BUT what she actually MOST wanted to do.
(Side note: Isn’t it crazy how we do this? Some version of this tale of sidestepping a BIG dream in favor of smaller, more manageable ones applies to so many artists that I know. I think it may be related to what Brene Brown calls “foreboding joy.” She says that we sometimes sabotage ourselves from experiencing our deepest joy because we instinctively know that it makes us vulnerable to loss1. But, I digress. Back to Marie’s story.)
Marie owned her own business selling other people’s art. But in 2017 she decided to take the leap to become an artist who sells her own work! Hallelujah! Aren’t we blessed that she made that vulnerable choice?!
Part of what inspired her to step out so boldly was the 7 years that she lived in New Brunswick, Canada. The landscapes that surrounded her provided so much beautiful inspiration that her childhood dream was powerfully rekindled.
Now, having returned to Montreal, she paints landscapes, as well as florals and still lifes. She loves to paint her version of the things that she sees – a sunflower in a frothing pitcher, a grouping of lollipops, a pathway through a bird sanctuary – wherever light and color are dancing in beautiful or fanciful ways, she’s captivated!
Like her inspirations, Monet and Van Gogh, Marie enjoys using a “broken color” painting technique, where she relies on the human eye’s capacity to optically blend colors that are close together. She loves the sense of vibrancy and movement that optical color blending can create in a piece.
Marie’s creative confidence blossomed as she came to understand her reason for painting. Her spiritual life and beliefs undergird her work, and she knows that she is creating because it is an avenue for her to share joy and help viewers find a connection with the earth and all living things.
How You Can Be an Encouragement
Please check out Marie’s work on Instagram, follow her, and send her a note of encouragement today.
Instagram: @msantosart
Website: www.msantosart.com
See Brene’s Brown’s book, The Gifts of Imperfection, for more about this topic.