Artists in Residence – Verena Fay from Salzburg, Austria
With Verena, we end our journey through seven countries with seven artists. We started in Pakistan and went all the way to the USA through Germany, Italy and Greece. Back to the UK and finally we are in Austria! I hope you have enjoyed this journey as much as I have. These artists have shared so many wonderful insights about quarantine life and what they're doing to make the best of it.
I met Verena while creating my book 'Around the World with 80 Artists'. I adore the way she plays with colors in her paintings. Making them beautiful and keeping the techniques simple at the same time.
I love the words Verena uses to describe herself on her website and so I'm sharing those with you here.
I am an artist, soul mentor, clairvoyant empath, shaman and free spiritual creative soul.
I am a mother to three kids, a single mom. I am a nature lover and spiritual life lover.
I love to listen, to dance, to sing and inhale colours. Flowers are the beautiful wonders I am most attracted to.
I believe in the creative power which resides in all of us and that its full transforming potential just has to be lit.
I believe in life to be simple and joyful, when you once have found this place inside of you, where truth and peace live.
I believe in the strength of power animals to guide you all through your way. All you have to do is listen.
Be still and everything will show up. Doors will open. I am your guide into a beautiful and true life.
Q. Is there anything you’ve learned about yourself during this current lockdown?
Oh, a lot, a lot. Not, that I did not know about how important it is to focus on myself first but now having the situation actually here, it has become a real thing. I am beyond grateful for having a garden and being able to enjoy nature. So the lockdown was like a much needed slow down and the desired holiday for me. More time for myself and the things I really love to do and people I adore to surround me with. Simplifying and appreciating on many levels is the best result of it.
Q. What has been your biggest frustration?
That the internet broke down all the time. I was not able to communicate with my clients and my art-community in the way I thought I should or could. I had so many ideas to help them through these rough times but was not able to upload my videos and inspirations. So I went live instead and we learned to embrace life as unpredictable as it can be. Being in the moment. Pure. True. Abundant.
Q. How has art helped you to cope? What activities do you do?
Art is a daily routine for me myself and I host membership-groups where I connect with people through making art online, so art is a huge part of my life always, and especially now I can see and understand its worth even better. How it helps people to stay sane. How they improve their life hugely by simply staying creative.
Q. Do you have any rituals or routines that you have stuck with?
I love to grab my watercolors and just "doodle" with colors by creating circles or patterns, it frees my mind, focusses me, and lifts-up my spirit.
Q. What is one activity you suggest folks do at this time?
Schedule a weekly art-date with yourself or a group of like-minded spirits, maybe join my membership in the Anima Artist Akademie [https://www.facebook.com/AnimaArtistAkademie], where we create freely from our souls.
Here Verena shares a beautiful yet simple creative project for all of us to try!
Q. Have you brought back any childhood rituals?
Yes, I did a lot of forest walks, just witnessing the beauty of nature and how it changes so quickly within every week, we can learn a lot by just observing more what nature shows us daily. Being more present and quieter. Using our eyes in a better, new way (like children see things with new eyes always) to create from a deeper, thus more connected place.
Q. Biggest takeaway from the quarantine to date?
I am much more present and much more myself. I am clearer about what I really want and what my mission for this new world will be. I have simplified things and processes and have connected to the heart in me by knowing good things are going to happen for all of us.
Q. Favorite thing you’re eating? Any recipes to share?
I am at the moment growing my own vegetables which I cannot get enough of, so delicious: zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, salad, and more to ripe soon.
You can follow Verena using the links below!
https://www.verenafay.com/school
https://www.verenafay.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AnimaArtistAkademie/