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About Cyprus

Much of Cyprus is stunningly beautiful. There are high mountains, covered with pine trees, that offer drama and solitude. Amongst them are ancient monasteries, traditional Mediterranean villages and incredible mediaeval churches. And somewhere in the hills there live the almost mythical wild sheep called moufflon, the last of their kind in Europe. In the lowlands there is the flat Mesorea plain, which is parched and desert-like in summer, but rich and fertile in winter. Near the sea there are unearthly salt-lakes inhabited by wild flamingos, and the coastline is dotted with strange rock formations and sea caves that are alive with folklore.

There is no doubt that much of Cyprus is stunningly beautiful. But some things in Cyprus are shockingly vulgar, especially those parts associated with the tourist industry - such as the ugly hotels and the tedious greens of the golf courses.

So you might ask yourself, Is Cyprus a good place to learn about art? The answer has to be yes. In Cyprus you will find unspoilt landscapes and the pretty villages if you want them. You can ignore modernity and seek out a culture that goes back many thousands of years. There is no doubt that the museums of ancient and mediaeval art will knock your eyes out!

But as an artist it is also sometimes good to confront vulgarity. We can find visual interest in things that are stunningly beautiful and in things that are shockingly vulgar. As ordinary people we might recoil in horror when we see a branch of McDonald's built right next to an unbelievably ancient church. But as artists these juxtapositions can be exciting visual experiences.

And that is what Cyprus will always give you - exciting visual experiences. From the colours of the landscape to the incredible clear light; from the mud-brick architecture of Old Cyprus to the glass and steel of newly-built cities; from the ancient culture of the Levant to the modern Cyprus of southern Europe.

In some ways familiar and modern, Cyprus is also exotic and ancient, and all of these qualities coexist in time and space making the island an inspiring place in which to make art.