Art saved me

It took me most of my life to break free from the rule-based and restrictive environment I grew up in. Being told who I was, how to live my life, and the constant struggle to fit in while feeling that I don’t belong have led me to a self-discovery journey.

Sometimes we get through life feeling that someone else is in the driver’s seat. We may end up in places or with people we never imagined, but maybe that is how life is showing us the right path. I had to go through many ‘wrongs’ to find my ‘right’ - re-discover my path and my passion for art. But I do it my way.

Art saved me.

Here is the short version of my story…

Hi, I’m Vered.

An international selling contemporary artist living and creating from the coastline of Cascais, Portugal. 

I had to get lost for most of my life to find a way to my first love - painting. Becoming a mum in 2018 pushed me to pause and think about my next chapter, as well to realise that I spent so many years feeling restless and unhappy because I did things that were not aligned with my true purpose. But I didn’t know it at the time.

Moving from London to Portugal in late 2020 was the beginning of a change I didn’t anticipate. I instantly felt at home in Portugal. I no longer felt lost and restless. And I was intentionally reflecting on my childhood, remembering what was the one thing that always made me feel alive. I don’t know whether it’s being by the ocean after so many years far away from it, or the fact that I took the time to look inwards and listen. But a little voice inside my heart reminded me that I’ve always loved making art. Once that clicked, overnight (sounds dramatic but it’s true), I decided to be an abstract artist. And the rest is history… 

What’s my work about?

I’ve always been a curious person and that’s what also drives my art. Each painting explores the depth, complexity and multiple layers of the stories and memories we carry with us. My paintings invite you to dive deep into hidden and unknown moments, fearlessly peel the layers, look inwards and re-connect with yourself. 

My work, materials and process are pure reflections of growing up next to the Mediterranean Sea, and my life today on the coastline of Portugal. I paint mainly with acrylic, incorporating sand and ocean water in my paintings. Water is essential to my work because it allows free flow of paint, soft borderlines, and unpredictable moments in my process. I’m driven by curiosity and the joy of exploration, and love using a variety of unconventional tools collected by my son and I in nature. My creative process is free from rules and offers a deep connection with my soul, my past and present.