It’s about light: The Art of Life

Art & Travel

“We follow a thread of connection that reveals itself as a necessary art of being.”

– Mark Nepo (Drinking from the Water of Life)

The mysterious and magical natural world

 While reminiscing about my travels to Europe in the past two years, and as I am looking forward to traveling again, I recall the memories of years passed.  In hindsight, I was planting the seeds of what would be my most important life experiences, that is to travel for art.  As a photographer, there’s a need to change sceneries, and traveling brings new discoveries. When I travel to a new destination, I don’t read all the related information so that I can see through the viewfinder with a fresh look and not based on a pre-conceived idea. We all wear different glasses and the first look is always magical as if experiencing love at first sight.  

Dubrovnik Market (1980)

After having lived in Europe during my first marriage, in Antwerp, Belgium more precisely, I already had a taste of world travel and felt so at home in Europe.  I was fascinated by the rich culture, the architecture, and life was more in tune with what I aspired to which was and still is to travel and to live the European lifestyle.  

On our way to Greece (1980)

On our way to Greece (1980)

Although my marriage was practically on the rocks by then, I have fond memories of being able to drive to Paris, Amsterdam, or Liechtenstein unlike being here in America where distances are much greater for this is such a huge country.  The most important trip during those years was when we drove with our friends, Caroline & Stephen, from Belgium to Greece.  That was a fascinating journey riding along the Adriatic Sea when Yugoslavia, which under Tito’s communist regime, was still a unified entity.  I will never forget how we drove up the high mountains on these very small and winding roads.  We could see cars left there after having fallen off the cliff as a reminder of the danger of driving too fast. We got to the top where we found a small restaurant, it was a truck stop but the food was fresh and delicious.   

On our way to Greece, along the Adriatic coastline (1980)

The scenery and the landscape were mesmerizing.  It was so exciting, a true adventure.  I was drunk with freedom for I didn’t belong anywhere and somehow, I was overcome with that sense of belonging everywhere while being in such a beautiful natural setting.  To this day, the natural world takes me to a place of peace, beauty, love, and harmony.  Hence the reason that my artwork features the beauty of the natural world.