The ubreakable bond between people, art and nature

Dolores came to Serbia in the summer of 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and joined us on the Koh Chang Island on Danube where we escaped from the lock-down. Her story, retold during our Serbian summer, charged my art. It reminded me that life’s about scaling personal heights, every single day. We translated her emotions and moments onto canvas: the beauty, the tension, the near-misses…all captured in the paintings Frozen Beauty, The Near Death Experience, Majestic Peaks.

For two years, this woman who I now call my sister dedicated her life to rigorous mental and physical training. She climbed five mountains as part of the preparation and mind you she had never done it before. Witnessing her unwavering dedication, devotion, and discipline has left an indelible mark on my soul.

I resonated with her story deeply and especially with the part about The Near-Death Experience. Two months into their arduous journey, Dolores and her crew stood only a few hundred meters away from reaching the summit of the world’s highest peak. Tragically, a fellow mountaineer from a previous group had grown exhausted and opted to take a break, intending to catch up with the team later. He was discovered lifeless, covered in a shroud of snow and ice by Dolores and her companions. Imagine being a whisker away from Everest’s peak, and then reality hits—discovering a fallen comrade!