My story and my last painting.
A Life Shaped by Art, Struggle, and Spiritual Search I was raised in France with my two brothers. As the oldest, I naturally became the leader in our little world. My parents were atheists, and although I felt a strong pull toward spirituality from a young age, it wasn’t something welcomed at home. Life there often felt restrictive, with discipline and punishment being the usual response. School, for me, was difficult—almost unbearable. My grandmother was the headmistress, and because of that, some teachers treated me unfairly. I was often placed at the back of crowded classrooms, unable to see or hear properly. There were around 30 students in each class, which only made things harder. To cope, I turned inward. At the age of nine, I began writing poetry. It became my refuge. Then, around twelve, my artistic abilities started to emerge, and for the first time, I felt seen—my art teacher encouraged me deeply. I asked my parents to transfer me to an art school, but it took years before that finally happened. Eventually, I entered the École Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and later the Beaux-Arts. I studied there for four years, then continued my training in Italy. Later still, I went to India to study the transcendental proportions of divine forms. While in Paris, I spent time at the American Center, where I met an actor who eventually took me to Canada. I lived in Montreal for three years, then returned to Paris in 1972—where I met my guru, a turning point in my life. Years earlier, at sixteen, I had a profound inner experience while practicing automatic writing. In that state, I wrote about a past life and what felt like my true purpose. I kept that writing for years. It took time—until about twenty-two—to begin truly aligning my life with that deeper calling. From the age of twenty-three, I committed seriously to Bhakti Yoga, and I have stayed on that path ever since. Along the way, I met remarkable people—empaths, mystics, and individuals deeply dedicated to serving others. I also traveled to places that carried a strong spiritual presence.