Collared Doves Bougainvillea the Pond Gardens of Seville Alcazar

Print description

Last July, I visited my parents in Seville. In their courtyard grows among many Mediterranean plants an exuberant bougainvillea and a beautiful lemon tree. Most years a pair of collared doves make their nest among its leaves and the lemons. One morning, my dad and I took a special trip to the Almohad walls of the Alcázar Palace. There, above the Puerta de Marchena—named for the nearby town where my father was born—I saw the window that inspired this piece. My parents are an extraordinary couple whose love has only deepened with time. The doves in my print are, of course, my mom and dad.

Collared Doves

I love echoing art from other cultures and artists—a homage to inventive minds before us. A month before my visit to Seville, I went to Athens, where at the Archaeological Museum you can see the only wall painting at Akrotiri found in situ. It spans three walls of a room, depicting the rocky Theran landscape before the eruption. Red lilies with yellow stems sway in the wind while swallows swoop above, alone or in playful pairs, heralding nature’s annual rebirth. Painted in vivid black, white, red, yellow, and blue, its lively movement is attributed to the painter of the Crocus Gatherers.

Print details

To create this print, I start by crafting individual drawings in ink, which collectively form a collage comprising the final piece. I scan my drawings and digitally add colour. The original design solely exists in digital format, and I print it using archival inks and paper. I then release my design as a limited edition print, available in standard ‘A’ sizes, ranging from A0 (84.1 cm x 118.9 cm) to A4 (21 x 29.7 cm).