Ewa Grau left grayness and oppression in her native Poland in the 1970s for the liberating light in California and then Florida, where she still remains.

Grau has a slim figure, an erect posture, an aura of focus and discipline and smooth movements, gliding as if she is dancing.

``I was a ballet dancer back in Poland. My mother, a mathematician, did not approve of it, though. She didn't think that ballet dancing would be a secure way to make a living,'' Grau said. ``My father, a tenor at the Polish Opera, was the one that encouraged me on my creative path. If you do what you want, you are a winner,'' Grau said with a smile.

She's doing exactly what she wants, expressing herself in art, in different styles, always with vibrant colors.

Her work includes abstract, impressionist, expressionist, still-life, contemporary and electronic art.

``I want to make people feel happy. I want to cheer them up with splendid colors and make them look beyond the surface.''

Grau had a long way to go before she became an unbound woman.

Giving in to her mother's wishes, Grau put her artistic dreams aside and trained to become a radiology technologist. One might think that such a profession would be as far away from art as you can imagine. But not for Grau. When she was looking at the X-ray sheets of internal organs, she was awestruck by the images.

``It awoke my spirit and my longing to express myself in painting,'' she said.

Grau met her husband-to-be in Poland. Born in Cuba, he was there on business. When he returned to his home in the United States, Grau followed. They lived in California at first and later moved to Florida. They have a son and a daughter.

``My family is very supportive of my work. My daughter helps me a lot with the marketing of my art. The sales part of being an artist is always awkward. An artist is never a good businessman,'' she said.

``But if you love what you do, it will sell.''

Her husband, an engineer, was employed in Saudi Arabia a couple years during the 1990s. Grau went with him and was hired as a supervisor at the Saad Medical Health Center in Al-Khobar.

``It was hard not to be able to see my children for such a long time, but it was fascinating to experience a very different culture'' she said.

``I had time for my art as well and I had exhibits in my home. One day an American man came and bought all of my paintings!'' Grau recalled.

She also got commissions.

``I painted the portrait of the King of Saudi Arabia'' Grau said. ``I get inspired by shapes and colors. Once in a hotel lobby in Panama, I saw the most exquisite flower arrangement. It was extraordinarily beautiful. I was mesmerized, but no one else even looked at it.''

Even as a child, Grau was obsessed by all things in nature.

``One time I stared at a flower so long, I just couldn't stop looking; captivated by its color, shape and details. Finally my mother said: `You have already seen it!' ''

Hands on Miami commissioned Grau to make 20 murals indoors at women's shelters around Homestead. The murals depict beautiful images of flowers.

``The most beautiful feeling I have ever had was to see the women's appreciation of the murals. One woman cried,'' Grau said.

Grau has been a resident artist at ArtSouth in downtown Homestead for two years. She commutes every day from her home in Kendall.

``I need a place to go to and paint. At home I get quickly distracted. It is also a learning experience to see how the other artists are working.''

Since 1998, Grau has a permanent exhibit at Florida International University.

She has displayed her work at art festivals in South Miami and Key Biscayne and she also showed her art at the Gallery Space on Krome Avenue. Her next exhibit will be at the art festival in Coral Gables, March 6 and 7.

``I have sold very well during the years'' Grau said.

``But then, artists never see themselves as poor. No artist can be called poor, because when you express yourself you are rich.''