Art saved me

It took me most of my life to break free from the rules, restrictions and masked reality I grew up with. Having to listen to other people telling you who you are, what you should do, the pointless struggle to fit in, knowing you don’t really belong… All this noise is a huge disruption to getting to know yourself.

Sometimes we let life take the driver’s seat and lead us to the wrong places or people (or both!), but sometimes, life actually shows us the right way if we only pay attention. I had to go through various jobs, building the wrong career, taking courses, degrees, investing in people I didn’t really like, and blocking the voice that kept calling me to remind me I was born to be an artist.

Art saved me.

Here is the short version of my story…

Hi, I’m Vered.

An international selling contemporary artist from Israel, living in Cascais, Portugal. 

I had to get lost for most of my life to find a way to my first love - painting - after a career in marketing in the renewable energy sector. Becoming a mum is what forced me to pause and think about my next move, as well to realise that I spent many years doing things I don’t feel passionate about.

Moving from London to Portugal in late 2020 opened up new opportunities for me. I felt at home, I was comfortable and focused on me. I decided to become an abstract painter and quickly realised that my art is my healer.

What’s my work about?

My artwork explores the depth, complexity and multiple layers of the stories and memories we carry in our soul. My paintings invite you to dive deep into hidden and unknown moments, peel the layers, and embrace the calming power of self-acceptance and truth. 

My work, materials and process are pure reflections of growing up next to the Mediterranean Sea in Israel, and my life today on the coastline of Portugal. I paint with acrylic, oil pastel, and ink using water as a main medium to allow free flow of paint, soft borderlines, and unpredictable marks. I’m driven by curiosity and the joy of exploration, and love using a variety of unconventional tools collected mostly in nature. My creative process is free from rules and offers a deep connection with my soul, my past and present.