At 25 rue Vauban, the sign sets the tone: a painter, hat on head and brush in hand, in front of his easel. The Verrimst gallery is a piece of history of the Ville Close, in Concarneau. A cocoon and a treasure chest, where decoration, creations, gifts and marine objects are sold all year round. But not for long.
On December 31, 2024, Marie Verrimst will close her business permanently. At 62 and a half years old, she will retire, completing a cycle: that of a family which has been established in Ville Close for almost half a century.
Daughter of a painter
Because if Marie has been living there for ten years, the family business is old. In 1978, his father, Frédéric, settled in this historic building. He is a painter and he decides to set up both his workshop and his gallery there. It was a prosperous time for artists in Ville Close. As the painter Jean-Jacques Barzic recalls, in a book published this year, there were many of them practicing their art there. “Visitors were happy to be able to see us paint in our gallery, and to interact with us,” he said last July, quoting Frédéric Verrimst in particular. His oils and seascapes seduce those who enter his workshop.
Frédéric did not fail to pass this passion for art on to his five children. Marie is one of the daughters of this large family. Her journey will lead her onto the path of commerce. “I was the only one in the family not to pursue an artistic career,” she laughs.
A family bond
She thus built half of her career in mass distribution, in Rennes (35), in Savoie (73), then in Quimper. She managed teams in the bookselling, culture and recording sectors for nearly twenty-two years. And then there is this turning point. “At 51, unable to accept the new position that was offered to me, I had to create my own business,” she recalls. Obviously, in 2014, she moved to Ville Close, taking over the family brand.
She sells local creations and many objects linked to the sea. And then she offers the works of her brothers and her sister. Marie notably exhibits Yann's wood engravings and Elisabeth's ink drawings, perpetuating the family bond.
“Revisit my Finistère”
It also takes up a challenge: that of opening all year round in the old town of Concarneau, where many businesses lower their curtains once the summer season has passed. The bet paid off. Marie Verrimst creates a loyal clientele from throughout the Cornish basin. “In my store, my customers found original and quality products,” she says. With beautiful signatures, such as that of Sophie Doaré, Xavier Cournac, Nolwenn Le Lay and Anne Mucci, among others.
From this life as a conduit, between creators and clients, Marie Verrimst keeps precious memories, confiding that she met many people she appreciated. But she turns the page, intending to savor the coming years. “I want to revisit my Finistère,” she confides. The islands. Ouessant, Batz, Sein… And also take care of myself and my house. For years, I didn’t have time to do all that.” From April 2025, original green plants will replace marine objects, at 25 rue Vauban.
Lifestyle
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