Martine Bénéjean-Bouix G r ow i n g u p in t h e M ed it e rr anea n r eg i on , co l ou r s , li gh t and sunn y l andscape s hav e bee n pa rt o f m y ch il dhood . W he n I a rri ve d in Pa ris in t h e l a te 70’s , I t oo k d r a w i n g an d pa i n ti n g c l a s ses , i nsp ir e d b y t h e a rti s tic env ir onmen t o f t h e Pa ri s i a n ga ll e ri e s an d exh i b iti ons . I t he n s t a rt e d a f a m ily an d tr ave ll e d w ith t he m a l o t f o r m an y yea r s : I nd i a , Ca lif o r n i a , Po l ynes i a , … an d w he n m y 3 ch il dre n gre w u p an d l ef t ho m e , I li ve d f o r 3 year s in P r ovence . A l way s i nsp i re d b y t h e li gh t an d co l our s o f a ll t hos e t rave l an d li v i n g expe ri ences , pa i nt i n g ha s a l way s bee n a pa rt o f m e , a s a se lf- t augh t pa i n ti n g a rti s t. In 2008 , whe n I a rri ve d in V i chy , I deve l ope d an d s t ab ili se d m y p r ac ti c e in t h e c l a s se s o f a p r ofess i ona l p a i n ti n g ar ti s t an d dec i de d to se ll m y wo r k .