Marion Vialade

I’m MARION VIALADE, an artist made in France! No Diplomas, no art school, just me, a real self-taught artist.

As far as I can remember, I always loved drawing. But being the oldest child of a vintners family, going to art school was considered a fantasy… I had to get a 'real' job first!

That’s how I ended up studying winemaking.

Looking back, it was a good thing as my job made me discover a beautiful country that I will one day call my home. New Zealand.

Art is a part of who I am and I had to get into it no matter what. Because I had no art school background, I needed to explore different media to decide which one would suit me best. That’s when I feel in love with printmaking. For a long time, printmaking suited my disciplined, very controlled drawing style. It was enough to create my black and white pictures. I was lucky to meet former printmaking Lecturer Chris de Jong from OCTA Gallery who shared his knowledge and let me spend long hours in his printshop/ gallery in Old Cromwell.

I would then juggle between the winery, the printshop and my wee boy Jules (born in 2012).

But while I was exploring more and more printmaking techniques, I started longing for more simplicity and a looser style.

That’s when my second baby boy Hugo came along and with him, the need to add colours to my prints and my life too.

I took a new path, I taught myself how to paint.

Two years later, I love painting, I make my own paint and I’m back to the printshop.

Nowadays, I still live in Alexandra with my fiancé Antony Worch (who spends more time in the winery than I do) and our two boys.

I spend my days between studio and school/ kindy picks up.

I’m still seft-taught, still learning…

My life is busy as and I wouldn’t have it any other way!