Régine Gaud & Gérard Visser – MAKING A MARK

Régine Gaud, of Lyon, France, is a trained psychologist-psychotherapist. She worked with children and adults in this capacity for 20 years, while painting in her free time. In 1996 she decided to dedicate her life to art and since then has participated in many exhibitions.

Gérard Visser, also of Lyon, France, has been an artist for the past 32 years. In addition to this he has worked with metal, in the film industry, and as a restaurateur. His restaurant “le Persil Bemol” serves as a showcase for the works of various artists. Few years ago Visser decided to dedicate his life to painting and moving sculptures.

Gaud and Visser first met on 2004 and began working on projects together. Their collaboration grew in 2006 with the development of “Dessine moi un Hopital” (“Draw me a hospital”), which they were asked to participate in by the project’s founder Marion Beaufron of “111 des Arts.” This project is similar to Making A Mark® and based in Lyon, France. Gaud and Visser visit a hospital weekly to work with children facing life threatening illnesses, helping them to express themselves through art. Together they work on collective art projects, helping the children to develop amazing moving pieces of art. Many of these art pieces are now decorating the New Hospital Leon Berrard in Lyon, France.

Gaud and Visser’s participation in Making A Mark® has been facilitated by the Texan-French Alliance for the Arts, an organization that promotes and fosters the appreciation of art and culture in all its diversity and uniqueness, and its presenting partner SUEZ Energy North America.