How Living in Bocas del Toro Inspires My Art

When I first arrived in Bocas del Toro, I didn’t expect this little Caribbean archipelago to completely rewire how I see the world—but it did. The humid air, the riot of jungle greens, the slow swirl of snail trails after a warm rain… it's impossible not to feel creative here.

Living in the tropics means being surrounded by movement. Everything grows, crawls, blossoms, and decays in a rhythmic pulse. Nature isn’t just a background here—it’s a character. The glowing fungi, oversized leaves, and curious creatures that show up in my paintings? They’re neighbors I meet on jungle explorations.

There’s also something to be said for the pace of life in Bocas. It allows for the kind of unhurried observation that art needs. I can watch a gecko sun itself for twenty minutes and genuinely feel like I’ve accomplished something. That mindfulness—that sense of contentment (or santosha, as yogis would say)—has become part of my theme, part of my color palette, part of my visual language.

My paintings are no longer just from me. They’re collaborations with the jungle, the tide, and the hum of life that surrounds me. Bocas gives me the courage to go neon, go weird, go wild. And honestly? I think my art has never felt more alive. 

:) Jennifer