The Art of Healing
An interview conducted in May 2018 by Emma-Jane Batey, with Aimée Centivany and Libby Page.
“When I met Libby Page, I was truly at a low point, facing some serious challenges in my life” confides Aimee Centivany. “I was going through a tough divorce and just starting my acupuncture practice in the south of France. I was questioning everything and wondering if I could make it on my own. Some days I felt lost, facing the unknown, uncertain about everything in my life.”
“It was at this time that Libby began making a painting for me. She had been quietly processing all that we’d been talking about as friends and confidants, and turning it into art. When she showed it to me, I was completely shocked and overcome with gratitude. There before me was an inspiring image – a path through the trees and a brilliant light at the horizon. The painting spoke deeply into my situation and gave me hope that there was a way through.”
“I believe it captures so many elements of what I was feeling, the depth of our friendship, my desire for change and progress…that painting was and still is a reference for me, showing me that I am on my way, that I am walking my path, that not alone in this, and that the future is very bright, indeed”
Even now, years later- the painting that Libby created brings me back time and time again. It shows me both where I was and where I am going. It got me thinking about the power of Libby’s work and my own understanding of what it means “to heal” in my work as an acupuncturist. I wanted to express to others the power of her work as “healing through art.”
That was just the beginning. Libby has now created several paintings for clients who have been deeply moved by her artwork, as she explains what the colours and composition mean and why she made the painting this way, just for them.
Libby is delighted when people tell her how much joy her art work brings them. “I’m grateful to know that my work provides other’s comfort and inspiration. I find creating my paintings is quite often an emotional journey for me, so I can understand how that process reveals itself on the canvas. I go deep within myself and connect with what that person really needs and how the painting can be a source of encouragement for them. Perhaps this is why Aimée calls these my “Healing Paintings”.
Libby Page has been gaining appreciative followers throughout Europe for nearly a decade thanks to her beautiful and colourful oil paintings. Her work famously captures the spirit of the Canal du Midi, the picturesque waterway that wends its way through the towns and villages of Languedoc Roussillon (Occitanie?) in the south of France. Having until recently lived in Narbonne, Libby has kept the glory of the canal and its landscapes in her artwork.
With Aimee’s successful acupuncture practice and Libby’s sought-after paintings and commissions, it has been fascinating to learn from these two inspiring women about how a painting Libby created for Aimee proved to be a turning point for them both in different ways.
It is clear that both friends are a guiding light and a supportive foundation for each other. As Libby’s paintings reach considerably wider audiences, it is good to know that her work will continue to inspire others and be a source of healing.
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More on how to commission your own painting here.