The sun is setting on a crisp autumn Sunday in London and I’m walking briskly west to keep warm, flanked on either side by a grey concrete jungle. The smell of hops and vinegar linger in the air as I turn the corner past a pub and chippy to arrive at the front of a small Indian coffee house. Leaving England behind me outside, I pull my hand from my glove and open the door...

The lively beat of the tabla greets me and welcomes me into a room busy with friends sharing pots of tea around candlelit tables. They sit against a stunning backdrop of vibrant colour and exotic pattern, which flood the many canvases on the walls and transports me immediately back to Asia. Print, collage and paint combine on the canvases to create layered, intricate designs which are as arresting in their texture as they are in their subject. The explosion of colour and form captures the very fabric of festival and ceremony in Asia. I happily sit down surrounded by their warmth and meet the artist…

Eimear Kavanagh studied Textiles and Surface Pattern Design at Bretton Hall, University of Leeds, England. One look at her work, however, will tell you that she has travelled further a field than Yorkshire for her inspiration. Motivated by a fascination with different cultures and customs, and by a compelling desire to experience such diverse lifestyles and environments first hand, Eimear has spent a lot of time travelling through Asia. The influence of these journeys is imprinted on her work; even her first trip to Thailand and Malaysia, whilst she was still at University, swayed the direction of her artwork dramatically as she became immediately guided by the unfamiliar ideas, customs and art of Asian society. It was only a few years ago, however, that she made her first trip to India – a visit that would turn out to inspire some of her most passionate and acclaimed work to date.

Villa & Yacht (V&Y): Whilst living in India, you spent many months working alongside a local artist painting traditional frescoes in Rajasthan. How did you become involved in this project?

Eimear Kavanagh (EK): My sister and I had just arrived in India and were struggling through our first 36 hour train journey from south to north. Jet-lagged and bewildered we were nevertheless excited by the unknown that lay ahead of us, for, as was the case with most of our journeys, we were not entirely sure where we were heading. It’s at times like these that fate often comes into play.

We travelled in a tightly packed carriage with a large Indian family who were the first of many incredibly warm, welcoming people of India we were to meet. It was insisted upon that we came along as special guests to the wedding they were attending in Jhunhunu, Rajasthan. Of course we were overwhelmed by their sincerity and accepted this opportunity without much thought. It didn’t matter where it was or what was there – we were ready for an adventure!

During this unplanned stay in Jhunhunu I discovered that I was actually situated in an area in the semi-desert which is famous for the highly detailed frescoes of the local Havelis (historical merchant houses), also known as the largest open air gallery in the world. Had I not accepted the wedding invitation I would never have met Mr Laxmi Kant, a hotel proprietor and entrepreneur who, on discovering my interest as an artist, commissioned me to paint a room in his guest house in the style of the Havelis. Of course I accepted again eagerly.

I was fortunate enough to receive the best training in the ancient methods by a master of the trade, who also developed within me an understanding of the spirit of the Shekhawati Art. For weeks I studied the traditional motifs and miniature scenes on the walls and ceilings of old Havelis all around the Shekhawati region. The following year I returned to Jhunhunu and spent a further six months painting. It was an invaluable experience for me, both artistically and personally.

(V&Y): The results of these murals are spectacular, and I know they attracted a lot of attention from local newspapers and television networks. Now that you are back in the UK, how has your own work been influenced by your teachings and experiences in India?

(EK): My canvas has now become a space for my visions and memories of India to materialise. I see my work now partly as an attempt to remember forever the precious moments I have lived. India has influenced everything, from the subjects I paint to the colours I paint in – from portraits of the sacred cow painted in the barren hues of the vast, open desert, to bright, theatrical print designs celebrating the colour of costume and festival. Even the materials used - India is physically present in my work: my paints are mixed with Holy Water from the sacred Ganga River, and I incorporate tiny pieces of paper and dried leaves collected in India into the paintings using collage technique.

As I take a closer look around the coffee house at Eimear’s artwork on exhibit here I notice that many of the pieces of paper used in her collages are actually newsprint and tiny mirrors, a technique which, Eimear tells me, has been adopted by the tribes in rural Rajasthan. It is not only her own story, therefore, but the stories of all the people of India that are being told and reflected on her canvas. Her work is an existing echo here in London, of an ancient, faraway land.

Eimear is now based in London and working towards a collection for her next solo show. She has been invited by the Minister of Cultural Events from the High Commission of India to exhibit at the Nehru Centre in Mayfair, London, from the 30th April 2007. In addition to this she is assisting art therapy classes with homeless people and the socially excluded.

Her original contemporary paintings are for sale and she is available to take commissions. Eimear also offers a service for mural painting to clients with businesses overseas. 10% of all sales is donated to the international humanitarian organisation, GOAL, who have set up informal schools for impoverished children in Calcutta. For more information please contact Eimear at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it or visit her online gallery at www.eimears.co.uk.