Monika Ziobrowska’s inspiring journey from a beauty therapist, who suddenly lost her job, to a full-time artist, shows how art can be a transformative tool for coping and going through challenging situations. Art and the process of creation were like fresh air and brought solace and healing to the artist’s life. ‘It was when I felt everything else was failing. Losing my job was an incredibly difficult experience, both emotionally and financially. I was in a very dark place, and art became my light at the end of the tunnel. It was a natural impulse – to grab a brush and express what was impossible to express with words.’
Unexpectedly, almost over a night Monika discovered her true calling and was bitten by the painting bug, she was spending more and more time learning and experimenting with different media and tools. It was not just a hobby anymore, but rather a passion that she could not ignore. Painting became her escape from the stresses of everyday life and a way for her to express her creativity and emotions. ‘I vividly remember that moment. It was when I finished my first painting. It was far from perfect, but something in me has changed. I felt as if I had regained a part of myself that I thought I had lost. It was a spark of hope.’Painting gave me the freedom to express emotions through colours and shapes. It was like dancing with the brush on the canvas. Sculpting, on the other hand, was more physical, almost meditative. Working with clay, and shaping it, gave a sense of controlling reality, which was therapeutic.’
Monika believes that everyone can find relief in art and advises others to “just start” without worrying about being perfect. Art is about expressing oneself and finding comfort in one’s unique creative process. ‘Art is very personal, and no two paths are the same. ‘Currently, I’m interested in the fusion of different techniques and mediums. I’d like to explore how different art forms can intermingle and cooperate, creating something unique and inspiring.‘
One can say that challenges can bring the best solutions, though we don’t see it that way at first. Monika and her story are perfect examples and proof of how one event in life, one unpleasant experience in life can point us in another direction, to something completely new, something incredibly mind-blowing and inspiring.
If Monika, in her darkest moments, had not reached for paints and brushes she wouldn’t have been able to exhibit and succeed in the Under The Rainbow exhibition, she wouldn’t have been able to tell her story during the event on the 10th of February in Posk (Londyńskie Spotkania Autorskie), she wouldn’t have been able to share her breathtaking work of art with others in Royal Academy of Arts… More importantly, she wouldn’t have been able to find peace with herself and with the world.
In life, sometimes, one must lose themselves to find true colours and art is one of the best tools that can help to achieve this.
Written by Agnieszka Kowalczewska
Monika’s work is displayed at the Eltham – “Capital Art Gallery,”
Facebook and Instagram at Monika Ziobrowska and MonaArt4u
