My Journey
“Born in the countryside of Switzerland, I probably felt in love with nature with my first cry. I have always enjoyed the freedom of strolling through the woods, climbing trees, lying in the grass and dreaming into the clouds. It has certainly made a strong impact on my journey.
Also the fact that my mother was painting as already her mother and certainly all the art books in our home had a strong fascination for me. Observing my Mum’s deep concentration on every brush stroke or lingering with the paintings of the old masters, studying the light of a candle or the texture of a medieval carpet kept my attention for hours. Therefore it became clear very early that it is the way of an artist I have to go.
After five years of study at the Lucerne School of Art and Design I was drawn without hesitation to Italy, where I continued studying painting at the Art Academy of Bologna. It was not just the vibrant atmosphere at the academy, but also the rich Italian culture with its overflowing pot of art history and its joyfulness that influenced my way further and made me develop a more generous attitude towards life itself.
By integrating any suitable media in the context of the respective project, my focus was and is multidisciplinary (EVS). Yet about ten years ago I discovered very surprisingly my love for still life painting and a parallel journey took its way.
At the beginning I just enjoyed the playful approach to the overwhelming abundance of colors, perspectives and patterns. The move to the coast of South England brought new inspirations and the conversation deepened. The subtle colors, the sensitive light and the beauty and fragility of the objects found on my walks along the beaches became once more a dive into silence. As an honoring of simplicity and in a slow process paintings emerge filled with great wonder.
My very current work is mainly focused on the mesmerizing beauty of the beach pebbles. The inspiring encounter of equal simplicity and complexity in each and every beach pebble fills me with awe, – or as Henry David Thoreau put it:
"Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads." (H.D. Thoreau "On the Wisdom and Simplicity of Life")
However I hope my deep love for the wonder and beauty in all things and my true passion for painting can be felt in my work...
Estelle Vera
BACKGROUND
Bern University of the Arts / Lecturer and tutor in Art Education
Zurich University of the Arts / Further Education in Art Education
Further Education in Classical Sculpting and Digital Arts // DE / CH
Art Academy of Bologna/Italy / Painting / Professor Giovanny D'Agostino
Lucerne School of Art and Design / MA
EXHIBITIONS // EVA.
*Winter Group Show 2023/24 / Linden Hall Studio Gallery / Deal, Kent // *The Art of Silence 2023 / Beaux Arts Bath / Somerset // *RA Summer Exhibition 2023 / Royal Academy of Arts / London // *Quiet Living 2023 / Rye Art Gallery / Rye, East Sussex // *Annual Exhibition 2023 / Bath Society of Artists BSA / Bath, Somerset // *Winter Group Show 2022/23 / Linden Hall Studio Gallery / Deal, Kent // *Winter Group Show 2021/22 / Linden Hall Studio Gallery / Deal, Kent // *Wells Art Contemporary 2021 WAC / Wells Cathedral / Wells, Somerset // *Winter Group Show 2020/22 / Linden Hall Studio Gallery / Deal, Kent // *Christmas Exhibition 2020 / Lime Tree Gallery / Long Melford, Suffolk and Bristol // *Small Sizes – Kleine Formate 2020 / Galerie Carla Renggli / Zug, Switzerland // *Miniatures and Masterstrokes – The Christmas Show 2020! / Rye Art Gallery / Rye, East Sussex // *Winter Group Show 2019/20 / Linden Hall Studio Gallery / Deal, Kent // *Annual Exhibition 2019 / Royal Institute of Oil Painters ROI / Mall Galleries London // *Annual Exhibition 2019 / Royal Society of Marine Artists RSMA / Mall Galleries London // *Annual Exhibition 2019 / Royal Society of British Artists RBA / Mall Galleries London // *Small Sizes – Kleine Formate 2015 / Galerie Carla Renggli / Zug, Switzerland
EXHIBITIONS // EVS.
Selection
*Art Take Away 2022 / Kunstraum Baden / Baden/CH // *Schicht um Schicht 2016 / Galerie grunderperren / Luzern / Soloshow // *Die Welt retten – Ex Voto 2015 / Projektraum 54 / Basel // *Truffes & Trouvilles 2014 / Kunstraum Baden // *Unter einem Dach 2014 / Kunsthaus Zofingen // *Atelier-Apéro 2013 / Alte Spinnerei Wettingen / Soloshow // *Mise à Sac 2012 / Villa Dutoit Genève // *Ein-Trudeln 2012 / Trudelhaus Baden // *Silent Head-Anthese 2011 / Multimedia-Landart-Project / Mellingen-Heitersberg // *Ateliergemeinschaft Spinnerei Wettingen 2010 / Galerie Gluri Suter Huus / Wettingen // *Silent Heads-Flabellum 2010 / Multimedia-Landart-Project / Seasalter Beach, England // *Tagesblumenblätter 2008 /Atelier Landenberg / Zürich / Soloshow // *Zeichnung 2003 / Galerie Kunst-Raum / Zürich // *Jahresausstellung Interlaken 1998 (Gast) / Kunsthaus Interlaken // *En Miniature 1998 / Frauen Kunst Forum / Bern // *Objekte 1997 / Galerie an der Gerbegass / Sempach/Luzern / Soloshow // *Na-Tour 1997 / Skulpturenausstellung / Outdoor Exhibition / Hitzkirch/Luzern // *Witz und Erotik 1996 / Frauen Kunst Forum Bern // *Der Kreis, die Welt und das Quadrat 1996 / Frauen Kunst Forum / Bern / Soloshow // *Schicht-Wechsel 1990 / o.T.- Galerie / Luzern / Soloshow // *Junge Kunst 1989 / Galerie an der Gerbegass / Sempach/Luzern // *Innerschweizer Jahresausstellung 1988 / Kunsthaus Luzern // *Pittura Giovane 1987 / Galleria Nuova / Bologna/I // *Bilder 1986 / Galerie Etterna Interim / Zürich / Soloshow
AWARDS / GRANTS / RESIDENCIES
2023 Scholarship / SMKK-Stiftung / St Gallen // 2022 Project contribution / Boner Stiftung für Kunst und Kultur / Chur // Internationale Kunst Heute / Art Book / Selected for the edition 2018 // 2018 Project contribution "The Sea" / Baumgartner-Stünzi Kunststiftung, Basel // 2017 Project contribution "The Sea"/ Sutter-Stöttner Stiftung, Münchwilen // 2016 Project contribution / Casimir Eigensatz Stiftung / Lucerne // 2014 Project contribution Beyond The Point/Silent Heads / Kupper-Stiftung, Zürich 2011 Project contribution Silent Heads / Swiss Cultural Fund // 2009/2010 Artist in Residence / Studio House Sciaredo, Barbengo (Oct-March) // 1991 Swiss Archaeological School in Greece / Eretria/GR (April-Nov) // 1990 SUVA Art Award
The work of EVA/EVS is represented in many public and private collections in Asia, Australia, Europe and Great Britain. Her work has also appeared in numerous publications.