To a luminous new year.

When I think of 2024 it feels like a whole life worth of emotions condensed into one year. 
January started joyfully with the gathering of family and plenty of energy for the year ahead. Our first months were rythmed by flea markets in Belgium and snowy walks. Unfortunately, in March, we were shattered by the pain of losing our friend Emma, our dear neighbour in our Romanian village. Despite a lovely spring and its first blossoms, the weeks that followed were intense and sorrowful. Transylvania would never be the same without our friend.

Following emotional sunsets on the Romanian hills, we made our way back to Belgium in March. Then at work in the atelier, I felt the urge to paint houses, flowers, and the moon. A first series inspired by an imaginary place was born and I naturally named it ‘Where we belong’. 

The upcoming months were mixed with excitement of discovering new places and meeting people who instantly felt like friends. Our annual trip to Italy, visiting beautiful monasteries and churches around lake Como rejoiced my inspiration in stirring new landscapes and compositions. Being out hiking enjoying views is such a blessing in revitalising energy, light and vision.

May and June followed with the preparation of new works. And whilst we gently approached the summer, we even managed a few days at the Belgian seaside. Early July we headed back East to our house, still under renovation. Though we started questioning this challenging project, we soon were able to move in which helped shifting our doubts. The place felt brighter, peaceful and more and more ours. Not perfect, but somehow right. We spent the entire summer working hard on renovations. Together, Sylvain, the children and I. It felt so rewarding. One morning, our new dog, ‘Saucisse’, appeared on our doorstep,  and since then, she has been part of the family, sharing every moment of our lives.

I spent the entire autumn back in Belgium painting landscapes, more moons, flowers and working on several commissions. October was marked by my 50th year of life and November by the release of the painting series ‘Promenade’.

It is now from the snowy landscape of the Carpathian hills  that I am writing these few lines. Spending December here has been such an unforgettable experience. The boys learnt singing Christmas carols with the village children and joined the local football team. Sylvain and I shifted big logs of wood, managed to clear up a part of the land, got the wood stove working, and finally put up a front fence and hedge. Whilst trying to squeeze as much as possible into those short winter days, I also set up an atelier in one of the unused room of the house. It is small and often chilly but with a big wooly on I am soaking the view, paint brushes in hand and it feels wonderful.

We will be back in Belgium early January and probably feeling a little adrift for the first few weeks of 2025. Still, many projects are planned and I strongly endeavour to bring light in everything that comes. 

I wish you all a very happy, joyful and luminous new year.