I used to collect all sorts of papers and scraps to make my own collages to decorate my school folders and notebooks, winning the admiration of my classmates. I continued to practise this throughout the years, creating 3D montages inside boxes for my friends.

I can be inspired by many things but I realised I am always influenced by Orientalism. Closer to home, I am inspired by the rich and varied vegetation of El Retiro Park, a few blocks away from my atelier. In truth, the forest in my mind is where fantasy, textures, colour and fragrance merge.

A casual consultation with Madrid gallerist Carlos Duran Baste on digital marketing, led me to designer Patricia Urquiola who commissioned 18 works for the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona. This was an unexpected and profound recognition of my work.

I love connecting with beautiful stories. Once, I was commissioned by Hermès to participate in the 2021 Solidarity Christmas Tree next to various artists. Another time, I worked with La Cama Sol Poetry/Art Editions to merge the lightness of my paper petal works with Syrian poet Maram al-Masri’s book, Metro – a homage to the Paris metro.