How “MomentEssence” came to me.
In July 2026, I will exhibit a new collection of paintings, the evolution of work begun in 2024, "Rouge, Femme" which marked a decisive turning point in my life and career as an artist.
“Rouge, Femme” was an expression of feminine instinct, the small inner voice too often silenced in patriarchal societies.
An awakening and an awareness saw an urgent need to bring forth the colour red from the depths of my being. Red: passion, rebellion, survival, birth and rebirth, the she-wolf, the mother… And, above all, emotions, fragile yet powerful, that weave around and within, deeply rooted in and around the feminine nature. The quiet strength of love, life, and peace.
Since “Rouge Femme”, these emotions fueled my inspiration. In my new body of work, I celebrate their ephemeral moment of beauty. The Essence of a special Moment, “MomentEssence”.
In a world that has become so unstable and threatening to humanity, I find hope in observing the people around me. I capture movements, expressions, connections between people in the most ordinary moments. I am merely the observer, their beauty compelling me to paint them. Micro-moments of humanity where nothing else matters.
The setting disappears, leaving only the essence of the fleeting emotion. A testament to what is the simplest, yet most beautiful and precious, in humanity.
Painting human emotions transports me on a completely different journey, an intimacy with the subject, a complicity, almost a tenderness. I often find myself smiling at them…
I consider it a privilege to have witnessed these simple, fleeting moments of humanity. I hope that my paintings will extend the miracle of the present moment, conveying it to eyes and hearts other than my own, and leave them a message of hope, love, and peace.
“Rouge, Femme” was an expression of feminine instinct, the small inner voice too often silenced in patriarchal societies.
An awakening and an awareness saw an urgent need to bring forth the colour red from the depths of my being. Red: passion, rebellion, survival, birth and rebirth, the she-wolf, the mother… And, above all, emotions, fragile yet powerful, that weave around and within, deeply rooted in and around the feminine nature. The quiet strength of love, life, and peace.
Since “Rouge Femme”, these emotions fueled my inspiration. In my new body of work, I celebrate their ephemeral moment of beauty. The Essence of a special Moment, “MomentEssence”.
In a world that has become so unstable and threatening to humanity, I find hope in observing the people around me. I capture movements, expressions, connections between people in the most ordinary moments. I am merely the observer, their beauty compelling me to paint them. Micro-moments of humanity where nothing else matters.
The setting disappears, leaving only the essence of the fleeting emotion. A testament to what is the simplest, yet most beautiful and precious, in humanity.
Painting human emotions transports me on a completely different journey, an intimacy with the subject, a complicity, almost a tenderness. I often find myself smiling at them…
I consider it a privilege to have witnessed these simple, fleeting moments of humanity. I hope that my paintings will extend the miracle of the present moment, conveying it to eyes and hearts other than my own, and leave them a message of hope, love, and peace.
MomentEssence, practical view.
I painted this series while I was in Nepal, at the end of 2025. 3 months, on my own in a very quiet place, the perfect artist retreat.
I always work from my own photographs.
I worked on this series with acrylic, on free canvas and local hand made paper.
The choice of tones for MomentEssence crept into my palette without conscious decision. They were all born from mixes between the 3 primary colours, plus white and black.
I still felt the need for red, after “Rouge, Femme," but it appeared in this new series in a softer, more restrained way.
In retrospect, I think this reflected a personal yearning for calm, a thirst for peace. And for that, Nepal was the perfect place to be.
I like to finish with touches of gold , a reflection of the precious and sacred nature of the human qualities of the moment.
The framing is by Neil Hodges, bespoke furniture designer/maker, and my youngest son !
I always work from my own photographs.
I worked on this series with acrylic, on free canvas and local hand made paper.
The choice of tones for MomentEssence crept into my palette without conscious decision. They were all born from mixes between the 3 primary colours, plus white and black.
I still felt the need for red, after “Rouge, Femme," but it appeared in this new series in a softer, more restrained way.
In retrospect, I think this reflected a personal yearning for calm, a thirst for peace. And for that, Nepal was the perfect place to be.
I like to finish with touches of gold , a reflection of the precious and sacred nature of the human qualities of the moment.
The framing is by Neil Hodges, bespoke furniture designer/maker, and my youngest son !