Marie Perret was born in London. As a child she loved painting and drawing and dreamed of being an artist & archaeologist. She did not follow traditional art studies. After studying literature at university she went on to study the body/mind connection and to training in Iyengar yoga and as a body psychotherapist. Her main teacher was Bob Moore, a gifted healer and Spiritual teacher with whom she studied Transpersonal Psychology, Meditation, and Spiritual Healing at Psykisk Centre in Denmark between 1978-1999. Bob's teaching about subtle energy, healing and consciousness were unique in their depth, precision and wisdom.
Between 1986-1990, whilst living in Switzerland, she discovered Ausdrucksmalen/ Spontaneous Painting and painted regularly in a free expression group. To her delight, Marie discovered that this freed her creative energy and led her to explore the depths of her own being and to a deep personal transformation.
She became fascinated by the creative process and its natural healing potential.
With her understanding of subtle energy and her practice and experience of meditation, she realised that creativity was not a luxury but of vital importance in human life. She has continued to practice intuitive painting passionately and regularly.
"I have learned that free expression with intuitive painting linked to body/mind awareness is a powerful self-healing practice, a way to embody Higher consciousness/spiritual energy.Besides the pleasure of using art materials and playing with colours, it is a feminine spiritual path, a way to bring love and light down onto the Earth and into all aspects of life."
"Painting was an amazing liberation for me.It was as though I had had a great river dammed up inside me and spontaneous painting was like opening a sluice gate and letting the waters flow freely again."
Marie has explored other forms of spontaneous creative expression - intuitive singing, clay modelling and movement - in her search to deepen her understand the healing aspect of creativity. She also completed various studies in this area.
"Spontaneous creativity gives the means to free vitality & life energy from restrictions. Besides the great joy in being free to choose colours and forms and play with art materials, a real self-healing process happens. When practised regularly, it is an extraordinary tool for self-exploration, taking us beyond blockages into a contact with our own wisdom and spiritual dimension."
Marie has worked therapeutically with individuals and groups for many years. She has taught in England, Switzerland, France & Ireland in a variety of settings. She continues to share her rich professional and personal experience and lead others into a process of colourful self-discovery in her groups and in individual sessions. She also gives slide show/talks using her own paintings & talks about Creativity and Healing. She has written: 'Healing Art -Transformation through Creative Expression' published in German by Drachen Verlag in 2008 and in English by Books on Demand. Her second book Painting into Life was published in 2020 and is available at artpeinture8@gmail.com
"I feel as if finally I did become an art archaeologist, helping people to explore their inner depths and connect to the beauty of life through creativity."