Website : https://clairemunierlesvoivres.wordpress.com/
Etsy shop : https://www.etsy.com/fr/shop/ClaireEtSonUnivers
Facebook account : https://www.facebook.com/ClaireetsonUnivers
E-mail adress : clairemunier.contact@gmail.com
Phone number : +33 7-81-22-67-12
Behind » Claire et son Univers » we find Claire Munier. She leaves in the village of “ Les Voivres ” in the Vosges [France]. She is an intuitive artist and a healer. In her life, her passions are the art, the nature, linking the people together and seeing life in a spiritual way.
OJL : Hello Claire.
Claire : Hello.
OJL : Four quick questions before getting to the heart of the matter.
As you live in “ Les Voivres “, can you tell us what your favourite café is there ? And what do you like to take there ?
Claire : The only existing café in “ Les Voivres “ is located in the only restaurant in the center of the village “ Le pont des fees ”. Its name comes from a real site, lost in the forest: a bridge whose construction was undertaken by the Romans but undoubtedly interrupted by some barbarian invasions. What I prefer to take there is a “ café crème “, preferably a large one (laugh) before heading to my workshop (who is next door) in the morning. By the way, this restaurant once belonged to my family on my father’s side.
OJL : And what is your favorite park or place?
Claire : My favourite place is undoubtedly the communal forest of my village, where mysteries and history mix together. It is populated by beech trees, water, large stones and moss. I know it by heart and I am deeply attached to it. I like to walk over there alone.
OJL : Next, what was the last book you read? And the last song you listened to?
Claire : _About the book: “ La Pistis Sophia ”. It is a Gnostic text that fell into my hands somewhat by chance. It is difficult to read, but in my opinion, you should not absolutely try to understand everything, but rather soak it up. I read it with the feeling of traveling through the great epic of world history, a bit like I read books about the enigmas of ancient history as a child…
_About the song: “ Cuatro Vientos ” – by Danit. The name of the song means “ Four winds”. It is a song that I have been following a lot for several months, it talks about the liberating power of the wind and listening to it does me a lot of good…
OJL : Finally, do you have a quote and/or proverb that you like?
Claire : “ Tomorrow is another day ”.
I am someone with a head full (too much) of a host of ideas and things to do, sometimes very different. But I’m learning to take one step after another. To be who I am. To better root myself in the present, with my feet in my head.. ugh in the earth (laughs). So yes, tomorrow is another day (smile).
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OJL : Let’s talk a bit about you now. What can you tell us about yourself ?
Claire : I am objectively a 37 year old woman from a modest family. I grew up in a particular agricultural environment : “ The people of the Earth ” as we say back home. At home there was no TV but a lot of books, a sensitivity for literature, art & music. It was modest but not vulgar.
I have a brother and a sister and all three of us are creative profiles. I can dare to ” atypical “ (we didn’t talk about it a few years ago… but now that it is trendy…).
I studied visual arts and then turned to art therapy, which I have been practicing for over 13 years now. And at the same time I developed my own art step by step until it took a real place in my life.
For me it is as much a profession as art therapy and I have never given up on it. In 2016, my life made a tunr and I returned to my childhood village in the Vosges, “ Les Voivres “ after 12 years living a urban life.
A sort of ” Call of the roots “… A need to return to nature too…
There, I created an association with a friend, a place called “ La Voûte “, who is a co-working space. I set up my workshop there – it was my dream (smile). There is also a boutique area where we exhibit our work with some other local artists and artisans.
It’s a superb and rich adventure that allows me to showcase my art and create connections between the people. I am currently the president of this association. Down there it’s a very rural environment but our village is open, innovative and… atypical (laugh). I am extremely attached to my place of life which has allowed me to evolve internally and spiritually also through this exceptional environment. It contributes to my development and my balance. This area is my source of inspiration.
I am also the mother of a little girl named Luana. Her arrival has greatly developed my view of my own femininity and has transformed my art. Which dimensions have grown !
OJL : Who are the professionals who made you ? Those who struck you ? In a few names and in a few words.
Claire : I studied at the Faculty of Visual Arts. It’s silly to say but there they don’t teach you how to hold a pencil… We are given a typical topic “ fragmentation ” and we have to manage to release something within 3 weeks… It was resourcefulness, experimentation, mixed techniques, recovery… Which in the end above all developed my adaptability at the technical level and my curiosity.
However, I can’t say that this is the moment where I revealed myself artistically, stylistically speaking. It still took me a personal journey to dare to be me.
The art history classes took me through the 19th century, which I particularly like. I really like the period of realist artists (Courbet for example) symbolists (Odilon Redon, Gustave Moreau, Baudelaire…) Klimt, the orientalists, but also Toulouse Lautrec for his line and Marie Kasatt for her sensitive mother/child portraits. These are all figurative movements depicting the human condition, the feminine, the need for elsewhere, the spiritual dimension of the human being too… During a period where artists were able to highlight their personalities beyond official styles.
But if I had to choose a work from another era, it would be “ The Birth of Venus “ by Boticelli which echoes my own artistic universe.
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OJL : Let’s talk now about your works. What do you do ?
Claire : I create some illustrations. Mainly in watercolor on the theme of the Feminine. To be accurate, the Sacred Feminine. On my works I explore the nature, the symbolism and the “ primordial ” spiritual references.
OJL : How could you describe your style ?
Claire : My style is purely intuitive and autobiographical in the fact that it is the result of my personal reflections on my place in the world, about my own femininity and on life as a spiritual journey in itself. It is a figurative style tinged with symbolism and mysticism too. The more the time passes, the more the themes on the creative power of women become recurrent.
They manifest themselves in figures of maternity and fertility, always very closely linked to our relationship with Nature, with the cycles of the seasons, and with the elements.
I also create projects around Mary of Magdalene and Marian figures (it would still be a long story to tell) which inspire me a lot. A lot of gentleness, contemplation, and introspection emerge from my art.
OJL : Which techniques do you use ?
Claire : I mainly use the watercolour technique. Because I have a particular affinity with the element “ water “. Which for me is a vehicle of information and symbolizes emotions.
But not only that.
I’m starting to do more work on canvas and in larger formats.
But no matter what medium I use, I add water even if that’s not the most common way to use it…
For me, water really helps convey messages and facilitates my own inner creative process.
OJL : Is it possible to ask you for a custom product ?
Claire : Yes as long as it respects my creative process. If someone likes my style, my sensitivity, this person can ask a commission to me. It happens more and more often as I create illustrations for others therapists.
OJL : Is it possible to suscribe to your newsletter ? Because the social networks are a bit… saturated.
Claire : You can subscribe to my wordpress blog “ Claire et son Univers ”, where I share my personal reflections in an often poetic, artistic and free way.
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OJL : Do you have an anecdote about one of your products ? Or about one of your sales ?
Claire : Since spring I have been frantically creating figures of fertility, lots of little things full of life and I ended up telling myself that I had to do something with them…
I spoke to doulas and midwives to present my work, telling me that this community could find it of interest. A few weeks later a person spoke to me, a midwife. I thought it was related to my different requests. But not at all, this person had my contact details for over a year through one of my clients. I am currently working for her on a therapeutic mapping tool for people in PMA (medically assisted procreation) journeys. As it turns out, my request received a very unexpected response but so in line with my inspirations ! And the idea of using my art and the intentions I put into it for this type of approach particularly speaks to me.
OJL : Last question. You surely have some friends who are making wonders ! If you would like to promote them, this is your time !
Claire : I really admire the work of Holy Mane, a committed artist.
OJL : Congratulations for everything you do. May Our Lady protects you.
Claire : Thank you.
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Quincey Morris
