In the last week of August 2025, I received an unexpected message of a friend. She was looking for someone to stay in her apartment for 3 months, and take care of her two cats, and her plants.
That sounded like the perfect retreat for an artist.
Far away, alone, for a long while.
A present from the Universe ?… I said yes !
I had my ideas about a new body of work for months, but so far no space or time to make it happen. Two weeks later, I left home with my ideas and, because I like to travel light, no painting supplies: I liked the chance to create with whatever I would find available locally.
"Locally" meant Nepal, near Pokhara.
I flew to Kathmandu, and took another short flight to Pokhara aboard a propellor plane named Yeti. (Pokhara airport only opened 3 years ago…)
From the windows on the right of the plane, the view on the majestic line of white tips of the Himalayas seemed unreal !…
From the day I arrived, Nepal gave me a deep feeling of welcoming and peace, and I felt home with my 2 little 4 legged mischievious companions. The flat was perfect, simple, minimalistic, on the top floor of an empty building. In my new home, the doors were wide open at all times on a spacious terrasse full of plants, the view and the space were unbelievable. Yoga every morning under a blue sky. At the foot of the famous Annapurnas, I felt very small and immensely grateful to be there and to feel the beautiful strength of the Himalayas all around me.
I bought a roll of canvas and some locally handmade Nepalese "Lokta" paper. This paper has qualities that seduced me straight away and I loved experimenting with it: it is both fragile and robust, handcrafted in the mountain villages from jungle bark, and the shop where I found it in Pokhara was a captivating experience in itself! The canvas roll allowed me to cut out loose sizes, without the limitations of a stretched canvas. It was also easy to roll it up for transport.
I also found basic colours of acrylic paint, a few brushes and painting knives and some other stuff handy to create.
Acrylic has the advantage of drying quickly, which is perfect for a nomad artist. (It's also a drawback in a hot country; the sun really dries things out fast, but I got used to it!)
My life in Nepal took a natural and peaceful pace, a Sun and Moon rhythm, day after day, with the carefree attitude inherent in the freedom to live alone. I organised the space so I had my studio in my bedroom, or rather my bed in my studio…! I loved it like that. Some days I would work just a little, some others from morning to sunset. No deadline, no rush, just my own desire to create.Of course, I also took days off and went exploring every now and then. Pokhara and the local markets to do my shopping, and around, Sarangkot, Pumdikot, Ghatichhina, Ghandruk, Tadapani... The more I saw, the more I loved this country.….By foot, by local bus, by motorbike with locals, by jeep. And , for my own Christmas present, by hot-air balloon !People in Nepal are kind and welcoming, sometimes a little shy. Only those who are involved in tourism speak a bit of english… And I didn’t speak a word of Nepali…But with smiles and kindness we all understand each other!I love taking photos to document my travels. When I paint or draw, I always work from my own photographs.
Each of my paintings is therefore inspired by a personal moment that is dear to me, experienced by myself, whether I am purely an observer, or more directly involved in the scene.
For this new body of work, MomentEssence, I had in mind some of my pics that captured special moments of connection between people.During my three months in Nepal, I painted seven acrylic scenes on unstretched canvas and some on Lokta paper. Some days, for a change, I would play with graphite or ink and do sketches or abstract work, I called those recreational painting… My two companions also inspired me…And so, time flew. The green rice fields around my home turned golden and harvest took place in November. By December I bought myself a pair of very warm and colourful Nepalese socks to wear in the morning and after sunset.
Then, before I realised, my 90 days visa came to an end. Time to pack my rucksack and roll up my art into a yoga mat bag that would travel with me. I sent home a parcel with about 50 sheets of Lokta paper and a few more things… I said goodbye to Kushi and Levana, my 2 furry friends, and to the awe-inspiring Annapurna’s.
On New Year’s Eve I left Kathmandu on a flight to Delhi, keeping my eyes fixed on the captivating peaks of the Himalayas, until they were just a white point on the horizon. Just after Nepal, I was offered the opportunity to join an artist residency in India for three weeks. After 3 months alone, the support and feedback of other art lovers was more than welcome, and the company of international artists is always a source of motivation and inspiration!
I was also in familiar territory, having made another residency there in November 2023. (Farm Studio, Andore, Rajasthan).
In this environment where you are encouraged to experiment art and have fun, I felt free like a child playing all day long. The perfect place to go further in my research.
Once again, by the end of january 2026, I rolled up my canvas, and went travelling. I didn’t look at my art until I came back to Ireland, 2 months later. But I had a clear idea of my new body of work, almost ready for framing.
