Heat Wave, Côte d'Azur

Some summers are remembered for everything you packed into them. Others are remembered for the heat—and all the creative ways of staying cool.

Painted during one of the longest and hottest summers I've experienced on the Côte d'Azur, Heat Wave is inspired by long days spent moving between sunrise swims, Mediterranean beaches and the welcome shade of a parasol. Sometimes two. As temperatures climbed from very hot to almost unbearable, I found myself seeking out the sea every morning, filling sketchbooks with observations of Riviera life while hiding behind sunglasses, wide-brimmed hats and my own collection of beach umbrellas. Elegant beach clubs, striped swimwear, striped parasols, handheld fans (the accessory of the summer), endless blue horizons and the ever-present azure sea of the Côte d'Azur became both my refuge and my inspiration.

A woman sits beneath two oversized white parasols, her story deliberately left open. Is she arriving or leaving? Waiting for someone or enjoying a rare moment alone? Created using acrylic, pastel and hand-painted paper collage on canvas, this mixed-media painting explores the dialogue between shade and sunlight, stillness and movement, organic curves and bold graphic lines. The vivid red-orange collage stripes become a playful counterpoint to the calm Mediterranean blues, celebrating the timeless style, colour and atmosphere of the French Riviera.

Heat Wave is a celebration of Mediterranean summers, where the heat is relentless, the sea offers refuge, and even the simplest moments beneath a parasol become unforgettable.

Inspirations

Heat Wave was inspired by one of the longest and hottest summers I've experienced on the Côte d'Azur. As temperatures climbed, I found myself structuring my days around the sea: sunrise swims in Nice, stand-up paddling, long mornings beneath a parasol and exploring the coastline before the midday heat and crowds arrived.

Some of my favourite beaches became an endless source of inspiration: Nice, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Monaco, Cap d'Ail, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Paloma Beach and Èze. Whether swimming, stand-up paddling across the Mediterranean or sketching from the shade of a parasol, I became fascinated by the quiet choreography of Riviera summers: beach attendants opening umbrellas, families arriving with their beach survival kits, elegant hats, striped swimwear, paddleboarders, sailboats, water toys, beach clubs and the countless ways people adapted to the heat while embracing life outdoors. And always, the unmistakable scent of sunscreen drifting through the warm sea air.

Rather than capturing one particular beach or moment, I wanted to preserve the feeling of these summers: the brilliance of the Mediterranean light, the relief of finding shade, the beauty of slowing down and the timeless elegance that defines the French Riviera. Heat Wave is a celebration of summer lived from beneath a parasol, where even the hottest days become some of the most memorable.

Heat Wave was inspired by one of the longest and hottest summers I've experienced on the Côte d'Azur. As temperatures climbed, I found myself structuring my days around the sea: sunrise swims in Nice, stand-up paddling, long mornings beneath a parasol and exploring the coastline before the midday heat and crowds arrived.

Some of my favourite beaches became an endless source of inspiration: Nice, Antibes, Juan-les-Pins, Roquebrune-Cap-Martin, Monaco, Cap d'Ail, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Paloma Beach and Èze. Whether swimming, stand-up paddling across the Mediterranean or sketching from the shade of a parasol, I became fascinated by the quiet choreography of Riviera summers: beach attendants opening umbrellas, families arriving with their beach survival kits, elegant hats, striped swimwear, paddleboarders, sailboats, water toys, beach clubs and the countless ways people adapted to the heat while embracing life outdoors. And always, the unmistakable scent of sunscreen drifting through the warm sea air.

Rather than capturing one particular beach or moment, I wanted to preserve the feeling of these summers: the brilliance of the Mediterranean light, the relief of finding shade, the beauty of slowing down and the timeless elegance that defines the French Riviera. Heat Wave is a celebration of summer lived from beneath a parasol, where even the hottest days become some of the most memorable.

Material & Features
Creative Process

Heat Wave began long before I picked up a paintbrush. Throughout one of the hottest summers I've experienced on the Côte d'Azur, I immersed myself in the landscape, beaches and the sea, structuring my days around staying cool. Sunrise swims in Nice were followed by long mornings beneath a parasol, moving between beaches with sketchbook in hand, observing the colours, rhythms and rituals of Riviera life before the midday heat and crowds took over.

Rather than working from a single photograph or location, I gathered fragments of experiences from across the coast: photographs, videos and pages of sketches capturing beach clubs, parasols, striped swimwear, elegant hats, shifting light and endless horizons. Back in the studio, I carefully constructed the composition, bringing together many of the elements that define my Mediterranean summers into a single imagined scene.

The painting was first developed in acrylic on canvas before being refined with soft pastel, introducing gestural marks and subtle texture that contrast with the clean geometry of the composition. Finally, I hand-painted sheets of paper in a vivid Riviera red-orange, cut each stripe individually and collaged them onto the swimsuit. These graphic horizontal bands create a visual dialogue with the sea and horizon, adding rhythm, depth and movement while reinforcing the painting's playful exploration of colour, contrast and the timeless style of the French Riviera.

Heat Wave began long before I picked up a paintbrush. Throughout one of the hottest summers I've experienced on the Côte d'Azur, I immersed myself in the landscape, beaches and the sea, structuring my days around staying cool. Sunrise swims in Nice were followed by long mornings beneath a parasol, moving between beaches with sketchbook in hand, observing the colours, rhythms and rituals of Riviera life before the midday heat and crowds took over.

Rather than working from a single photograph or location, I gathered fragments of experiences from across the coast: photographs, videos and pages of sketches capturing beach clubs, parasols, striped swimwear, elegant hats, shifting light and endless horizons. Back in the studio, I carefully constructed the composition, bringing together many of the elements that define my Mediterranean summers into a single imagined scene.

The painting was first developed in acrylic on canvas before being refined with soft pastel, introducing gestural marks and subtle texture that contrast with the clean geometry of the composition. Finally, I hand-painted sheets of paper in a vivid Riviera red-orange, cut each stripe individually and collaged them onto the swimsuit. These graphic horizontal bands create a visual dialogue with the sea and horizon, adding rhythm, depth and movement while reinforcing the painting's playful exploration of colour, contrast and the timeless style of the French Riviera.

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