In Val-en-Vignes, near Thouars, pharmacist Marie Masson is also a painter

Recently arrived in Cersay, in the commune of Val-en-Vignes, near Thouars, Marie Masson took over the commune’s pharmacy on July 12, 2024. Although she is already well known to locals as a pharmacist, few people know that she is also an accomplished painter. Marie Masson has been painting since childhood, first in acrylic, then in watercolor, which she discovered around the age of 20.

Some of his works are reminiscent of cells seen under a microscope. I’ve been told this a lot. ” she admits. ” However, it was not a conscious approach. During my studies, I had books with these kinds of photos. It may have influenced me, but I realized it once I had made the paintings. »

From pharmacy to art, a real complementarity

For Marie Masson, art is a spontaneous act, a liberation from the scientific rigor and strict protocol that govern her profession as a pharmacist. “At the pharmacy, I think a lot. Art is precisely the place where I allow myself a form of freedom. I don’t plan what I’m going to paint, I don’t intellectualize it at all, it’s visceral.”

This freedom is manifested in his choice of watercolor: “ It’s for transparency. Almost all my paintings are made of several successive layers. What I love is this ephemeral moment where liquids move and colors intermingle. »

For the benefit of the fight against cancer

Painting is not Marie Masson’s only passion. I don’t like to be bored, I’m a very curious person. I passed a CAP in cooking and then gave courses in this field to young people with intellectual disabilities. Cooking, like painting, is another passion that enriches me. » Marie Masson is interested in a multitude of subjects, including nutrition, and is considering numerous artistic and educational projects.

Currently, she works with an association in Drôme which helps people with breast cancer. They ask artists to enhance black and white photos, and the works are sold for the benefit of the association. » A project that reflects her sensitivity and empathy, qualities that she transposes from pharmacy to art.

Exhibited many times in the Lyon region, her arrival in Cersay was so rapid that she has not yet had the opportunity to integrate into the local artistic scene. “With the pharmacy taking over and my partner managing the website, we have a lot of things to do. When we are well settled, we will have more time to meet people and discover exhibition venues.”