Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Pandora, I'm from Biarritz and I live in Guéthary. I'm passionate about painting and the ocean...
What was your background before becoming a painter?
I've always painted and drawn, but it's only recently that it became my profession. Before that, I was lucky enough to be a "pro surfer" for a few years. I then joined the Biarritz School of Fine Arts and then went to cooking school, thinking for a moment that my fascination with nature and art could merge into the culinary profession. I traveled for a few more years between perfect waves and permaculture jobs, before returning to the Basque Country to devote myself fully to painting, which, after so many quests, finally turned out to be the ultimate passion that would allow me total fulfillment.
© Pandora Decoster
Where do you find inspiration?
I draw my inspiration mainly from the Basque Country when the light becomes magical, from the paintings of the Impressionists and the Naive, and from the strength and beauty of the women around me.
Jacqueline Marval - Parrish - Picasso
We often find portraits of women in your paintings, who are they?
These women, precisely, are the women from here and elsewhere, women whose faces I invent, who are partly imaginary, but whose soul is that of the proud and confident women I know, my loved ones and my heroines, indispensable to the beauty of my life, and that of the landscapes. They are like a eulogy to femininity.
© Pandora Decoster
A professional encounter that left a lasting impression on you?
I metJohanna Olk over two years ago. We became friends, and she embodied balance for me. She encouraged me to believe in my painting and to live with greater wisdom and patience. I admire her temperament and finesse, which are perfectly captured in her pictorial work.
What place does beauty (beauty ritual, cosmetics, massage) have in your life?
My beauty rituals are simple and quick. My greatest ally is the sea and a good diet rich in minerals. Otherwise, I use very simple products like argan oil, rose water, and red clay.
What are your upcoming projects?
I'm preparing an exhibition in Biarritz this summer, and then when the situation calms down, I have an exhibition opportunity in Los Angeles. I can't wait!
Your favorite places on the Basque Coast?
I love going to Bibam in the summer; it's a change of scenery to drink a cocktail in this tropical setting. To eat a delicious line-caught hake in a Brazilian coconut sauce or a real acai bowl, the Paz y Arroz food truck at Alcyons is magical. The plant-based milk coffees at the Kennedy surf shop are excellent, and the atmosphere really makes you think you're in California. I love going to Saint Pée to walk around the lake and near the small waterfalls, then going shopping at Euskal vrac where there's a great selection of local products and the best olives on earth, really!
Kennedy surf shop in Biarritz and The Alcyons in Guétary
What is your mantra?
I don't have an official mantra, even though I practice yoga. I may have Sanskrit chants that I sing during my practices, but I am grateful every day and I give inner thanks for this opportunity and this life that I try to improve every day.
Thanks to Pandora Decoster for answering our questions.
His works will be exhibited this summer at Artnoa , in Biarritz, from July 13
Portrait: © Corentin Bertau