Laure Bury - From Mexico via Mallorca to Devon

French artist Laure Bury, settled in West Devon in 1999. Visitors to her recent exhibition in Tavistock, were enchanted by the originality and vibrancy of her paintings. The bright and contrasting colours of her work reflect the warmth and richness of the culturally diverse countries where she previously lived.

Laure was born in Versailles, France. She moved to England at the age of ten and graduated in modern languages at the university of Westminster specialising in Spanish and Latin American literature. It was her passion for this subject that inspired her move to Mexico in 1986. She worked as a language teacher and studied drawing and silkscreen printing at Bellas Artes in San Miguel de Allende. "I had always been creative as a child and wanted to be an artist but was encouraged to study languages as a safer career path. The need to express myself artistically however was always there."

In Mexico she met renowned artist Jaime Pizarro who recognised her talent and became her mentor. Laure said he was without a doubt the main influence on her work. "When you're learning you make mistakes and he had an incredible way of teaching me how to turn a mistake into something beautiful. I still remember him when I'm painting now."

During the years Laure lived in Mexico her work was widely exhibited at prestigious galleries including ones in San Miguel de Allende, Cancun, Cozumel and at the International Caribbean Festival.

Laure moved from Mexico to Mallorca where she lived for 6 years and continued to juggle teaching languages with being an artist. It was in Devon that she chose to make Art a priority in her life. Very much inspired by the environment, she captures the ever-changing skies and landsca pes of the moors and creates colourful compositions with butterflies. These have a more spiritual message about the human spirit's ability to overcome change and life's vicissitudes. "After my divorce, I was afraid of facing life on my own again and needed to express this through my art. However, I wanted to send out a positive message, as I do believe in the strength of the human spirit and its ability to cope." Butterflies are seen as a symbol of the human spirit in Greek, Mayan and Aztec mythology.