My name is Gabriel Orion Marie, (Veronica C. Wanchena) and I am an author and artist. I have written and spoken to individuals and to groups in order share my personal story of being a woman who survived severe sexual abuse and incest during childhood. My desire is to share with others how I embarked upon an epic healing journey that saved my life and restored my sanity. This journey included an unexpected method of communicating and healing from the inexpressible by drawing and painting with an enlightened witness as my guide.

During the process of therapy I created over 325 paintings and drawings to assist me in getting the pain out and to communicate to my therapist what happened, how it hurt me and how deeply grieved I was.

It is my hope that my books and my artwork will bring hope, courage and insight to others who have suffered from the violence of others, and also that they will be a source of deeper understanding for those who are in the helping professions. In my art and my writing I have opened the doors of my most personal experience of wounding and also the door into the sacred arena of therapy where my healing emerged.

Several prints of my work are part of a larger traveling exhibit with the work of a few other artists in The Netherlands entitled "Strength from Brokenness". I also have donated a 7- piece exhibit entitled My Fire: The Alchemy of Abuse to The Awakenings Foundation Gallery in Chicago, Illinois. It is on permanent display there.

If you are interested in my paintings or prints of my work, or have other questions, you are welcome to contact me and I will respond in a timely manner.

With love and respect,

Gabriel Orion Marie

gabriel@gabrielorionmarie.com