I’m writing this from a terrace perched above the Ligurian Sea, the kind of place where time slows down and thoughts come alive. The Italian Riviera—with its pastel villages, winding coastal roads, and textured architecture—has been more than just a beautiful backdrop. It’s been a reminder of why I travel in the first place: to rewire my senses and take a step back to see the big picture.

As an artist, routine is both a tool and a trap. When I’m home, it’s easy to get comfortable in the same visual rhythms. But here, under the Italian sun, everything looks and feels different. The color palette alone is reinvigorating my eye—sun-faded terracotta, muted blues, chipped paint, raw stone and not to mention the street art. I find myself eager to bring these experiences to life in my work, and inspired to push myself into new aesthetic styles.

What I love about this area specifically isn’t just the aesthetics—it’s the attitude. There’s a lived-in elegance here. People value design, but not in a showy way. It’s in the mosaic sidewalks, the way a mid-century chair is positioned in a brutalist hotel lobby and the centuries-old buildings covered in graffiti. The casual glamour resonates with me.

It feels like the DNA of what I’ve always been drawn to—gritty textures with sophistication, chaos layered over control. That “casual glamour” idea that runs through my mixed media work finds new meaning here. The way I blend spray paint, pop icons, and luxury branding is in direct conversation with places like this, where history and modernity coexist without trying too hard.

Walking through cities like Genova, I’m reminded how design can feel both elevated and effortless. The balance of old-world craftsmanship and modern restraint here has me rethinking my compositions—maybe not everything has to scream. Maybe silence and space are part of the message, too. Less can easily be more.

Then there’s the landscape. You can’t stare out over cliffs that drop into endless turquoise without feeling something shift internally. There’s a ubiquitous feeling here—the crashing waves, the slow boats, the heat rising off terracotta roofs—that has worked its way into my mindset. My thoughts are less cluttered. My ideas feel wider.

That shift matters. Travel doesn’t just give me new visuals to work with—it resets my mental state. I’m calmer. More open. More willing to take creative risks. The quiet moments—coffee by the harbor, aimless walks through narrow alleys—are just as creatively powerful as time in the studio.

I’m not alone in this. So many street artists that i admire have let travel expand their visual language. Artists like:

• JR – Known for global photo installations that turn everyday people into monumental portraits. His Inside Out Project is rooted in the places and communities he visits.

• Shepard Fairey – The voice behind OBEY. His travels influence everything from his messaging to his visual tone. Cities speak through his work.

• Vhils – Famous for carving faces directly into walls, Vhils adapts his process to reflect the materials and culture of each location he works in.

That’s the beauty of street art—it’s not confined. It lives and breathes with the world. Just like we do.

This trip has reminded me that the world is the best collaborator. Every new place sharpens the lens I see through—and right now, the view from the Riviera is wide open

- Seek