As a small child, Lacey Vilandry was terrified of bees, and her mom told her to sing to them. She told Lacey that they’re much more afraid of her than she is of them, so as long as she’s gentle, they can live in harmony. That idea really opened Lacey’s eyes, and inspired her to be a voice for the spirits who can’t speak: the spirits of the forest, of the water, and of the creatures.

Lacey grew up in a small town called Danbury, New Hampshire. The brook and pond were beautiful, the forests were untamed and her town had their own mountain with a ski area. Outdoor living was abundant, and she would wander outside as much as possible. Lacey’s childhood was spending many hours exploring and understanding all corners of the forest. Her dad took me hiking as often as he could, and instilled in her that it the joy is in the journey, not the destination. That philosophy has melded with Lacey’s soul in a way that continues to drive her choices in life. In painting, while the outcome is something she want to be proud to share, she is often more enamored with the process and the unseen steps that get her to the end. Lacey does not plan most of her paintings, and their meanings often come in the form of an “Aha!” moment when she am in deep communion with my art.

Lacey’s love for painting stems from coming from an artistic family. As a child my mother instilled in her an artistic practice that provided not only a way to express and cultivate her imagination, but also provide an escape in stressful times. She graduated with a BFA from James Madison University in 2016 and has shown in several fine art gallery settings. Fall 2017 Lacey had the honor of being named Artist of the Year by the Crystal Chalice Awards. During the summer of 2017 and 2018 Lacey continued my education with the Vienna Academy for Visionary Art. In 2019 one of Lacey’s artworks joined the permanent collection of the Pacha MOMA in central Mexico. While Lacey will continue to be a lifelong learner, she is incredibly grateful for what she accomplished so far.

Lacey starts a painting with an idea and a basic color palette, which she uses as a springboard. Often times she feels that concrete ideas diminish the mindful, meditative aspects of art making. Instead, Lacey opts for a flow state, which has general direction, but no opposition to change. This process allows her to not only channel her subconscious, but also to become a medium, translating the energy of her immediate vicinity into colors and forms. Live performance painting at music festivals and other events has been an incredible way for her to understand this channeling. Because she has minimal time for judgment or second-guessing decisions or ideas in that environment, Lacey often creates a completely different painting than what she originally imagined.

Painting while attending festivals and concerts has always been Lacey’s anchor, and a place of introspection amongst the chaos. When watching someone paint, people realize the amount of time that is put into the artistic process. They grow a far deeper appreciation for the visual arts, even when they had no appreciation for art otherwise. Painting is Lacey’s way of reaching people’s hearts without saying a single word, yet when they are spoken they weave the most beautiful stories. When Lacey paints in front of people, she creates a unique experience for them, one that adds to the sound on stage and people laughing and dancing. She lets the music and the energy guide the brush, and becomes a medium for the spirit of the show.

For Lacey, painting is a meditation and gateway to the soul. It is a communion with inner divinity, and a plucking of the strings that connect the universe. Painting is the most effective form of communication, for it says silently what words never can. It helps her understand the way light penetrates pigments and reflect waves that not only depict color, but emotion and memory. The energy on a physical and ethereal level that goes into a painting reflects onto those who gaze upon it. It awakens memories as old as space-time, itself, containing the same stardust that existed in the Beginning.