March 25, 2019

Check out Vera Vinot’s Artwork

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Vera Vinot.

Vera, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
My background greatly influences the art I make today, so while my story isn’t brief it is crucial to who I am.

My story starts on a small french Island called St. Barthélémy, in the French West Indies, Caribbean. Both Parents were French artists. I was raised by my mother, Marion Vinot. She is an established abstract figurative oil painter. My father, Jean-Jack Etienne was an artist in his own way. He was a skilled art framer.
I realized recently that I basically grew up in studios my whole life. Not really doing any art until I was 10 years of age, but surrounded by every kind of artwork and artist. During my childhood, my mother brought my brother and I to her painting exhibits in both Europe and America.

When I was 6 my mom moved my brother and I to Upstate NY from the island where I learned English. We left NY for two years to live in an off grid cabin in BC, Canada. When We moved back to Upstate NY I attended a Rudolph Steiner school for 6 years. Where art and creative thinking is a big part of the curriculum. However, I didn’t finish high school. I had a very special childhood. My mother is an intensely independent french artist. She let me make a lot of decisions growing up which weren’t always the best decisions.

My life was in my room, with my cat by my side, while making drawings. Starting at 10 years old there was a lot of constant intense family stress at home. So my escape was my “studio”, which was my room, most importantly my bed. I did everything in my bed, which usually consisted of five pillows, two down blankets on a queen bed. It most definitely was my thrown. I never called myself an artist, and I never showed my work, not even my mom. Without knowing it, it was my therapy. I started taking art seriously when I became a full-time professional art model when i was 20 in 2009. Posing for artists who were drawing, painting, and sculpting. I started taking interest in the human form. I quietly learned from being around professional and amateur artists about figurative art.

I completely fell in love with not only posing for artists, but drawing the nude human body. I only used pencils and markers for a long time, then pencils and inks. Painting made me uncomfortable. I loved looking at it, watching artist push paint around. It made me want to paint. But once I did, I hated it! Paint disappointed me, frustrated me, and I disliked everything I painted. The fine and delicate pencil and detailed pen marks is what inspired me, motivated me and satisfied me.

In 2007 my two very close friends Ella Sophie and Bella Delia pushed me to get my GED. This process took three tries in the time span of 10 years. However in 2017 I succeeded. It was during these semesters that I took some art classes. Figurative and basic drawing classes, clay sculpting classes, and one painting class. That one painting class helped me overcome my anxiety of paint. I used oil paints in this class. I felt successful at the end of this class. Now I use paint and i love it!

We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I create artwork in various shapes and sizes. From small notebook pages, clay sculptures, large size paper, to large urban murals. My figures are also available printed on fabrics and other custom projects.

I like to play and experiment with art tools and mediums. Currently i use ink, gauche, pastels, led pencils, watercolor pencils and acrylic paint, with tools like the pallet knife, calligraphy ink nibs, and a brush pen. I often sprinkle golden sparkles on my art.

I make lines and marks with a present moment fluidity. And then I look at my marks for a few minutes or an hour, or day. I turn it, walk away from it, what ever I feel. As I explore the marks I’ve made I find beings and bring them out. The beings can be human, creature, animal-human hybrids, dark beings, and angel beings. I’m really drawn to the idea of spirit beings, energetics, demons and angels.

I strive to allow shapes and forms to happen organically. I work with them freely before adding control. I start by taking my pencil or light colored paint, usually yellow, and make light marks and lines. I start with very little control, but with purpose. Trying to make every stroke count, ending with controlled finishing touches. A figure could have an animal face, one breast, six toes, two left feet, amputation of a limb, a mohawk, be bone skinny or large. I play with gender boundaries often, combining male, female and androgyny. I don’t plan, it’s all suggested in my pencil strokes and paint marks. Then I make it come alive, in its fullest. I don’t believe anything is wrong, I go with what makes me happy and curious.

My figurative work is both from my imagination or live models. Working with a human body inspires me tremendously. The action of working with a live model exercises the mind and hand. This is my way of creating discipline and structure with my art. I focus on the expression of body, while the proportions are not really important to me. I’m interested in the feeling of it. The human body is the most interesting and most beautiful thing to me. More beautiful then landscapes, animals, or objects. Because I see all that within a human body. For me, the human body contains all forms of beauty.

My work does not have a direct message. But if I had to choose some words, they would be acceptance and fun. My favorite reaction I like to get from viewers is laughter. I hope for people to walk away with wonder, curiosity, and a smile.

Choosing a creative or artistic path comes with many financial challenges. Any advice for those struggling to focus on their artwork due to financial concerns?
Don’t let money be your goal and priority, and don’t let it weigh you down. Forget about money. you can make art with absolutely anything and nothing, creativity is self sourced. If you want it, you will get it. Surround yourself with like minded people and people who support you.

Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Right now the best place to see my work is on my Instagram. I post there and on my website about upcoming shows when i have them. People can support my work by making a purchase of originals, prints, and merchandise or by commissioning a project, sculpture or a mural. to do so, you can direct message me on my website or my instagram account.

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