French artist Nelly Baude Gerouard in Finestrat.
In the early 1980s, Nelly Baude Gerouard arrived on the Costa Blanca with her husband, literature scholar Jean-Marc Baude, seeking curiosity and a change of scenery. Their first stop was the idyllic Cala de Finestrat, a natural haven nestled between orange groves and the sparkling sea. “We would stroll to the village to fetch water from the fountain, visit the local artisan shops, and wander the narrow streets up to the little chapel,” she said to Euro Weekly News. To her surprise, the locals were welcoming – even greeting them in Norman dialect – though a chance encounter in Elche with a stern elder taught her the cultural reverence for water in the Valencian region, a lesson starkly different from her rainy native Normandy.
Early artistic exploration in Spain
In 1993, while studying art at the Sorbonne in Paris, Nelly and Jean-Marc launched a project titled Fuentes de España (Fountains of Spain), which earned them the Leonardo da Vinci grant from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Starting in Finestrat, they explored water sources between Valencia and Murcia, capturing their journey through photography and video. The project was later exhibited in both Normandy and Spain, marking an early intersection of Nelly’s artistic vision with the region’s unique landscapes.
Choosing the Costa Blanca as home
For Nelly, the Costa Blanca was more than a picturesque retreat. “As an artist and art teacher, I’ve always been drawn to gesture and materials,” she explains. After winning the Young Painter Award and the Ville de Caen Prize, she initially planned only a holiday in Finestrat. Yet repeated visits, coupled with friendships with local Spaniards, inspired the couple to settle there in 2003. Today, Nelly maintains her studio in the village, surrounded by a region rich in history – from palaeontology to archaeology – and vibrant natural colours, particularly ochres once prized by Phoenician traders between Benidorm and Calpe.
Art and environmental activism
Art remains central to her life. Beyond painting, Nelly’s practice engages with the environment, particularly trees. Her ongoing project, Geografía amorosa, honours a single tree each year with an earth-and-paper garland, linking it to sky and soil in a Celtic-inspired ritual. Photography captures the changing seasons and diversity of species, reflecting her dedication to the natural world. Her work spans water in Fontaines d’Espagne, soil in Tierra de sombra, air in Soplao, and organic maritime forms, culminating recently in explorations of space through Baila la vida. Inspired by yoga and the philosophy of Gaia, Nelly sees the Earth as both home and muse.
Tierra de sombra: a dialogue with the earth
At the heart of his last exhibition “Tierra de sombra” lies the earth as the origin of existence. Ochre tones evoke the raw material of life, while torn paper suggests fragility and transformation. Created in the 2000s, the series opens a dialogue between painting and mythology, inviting reflection on humanity’s connection to the ground beneath our feet. The result is an emotive blend of memory, intuition, and symbolism.
Complementary cultural events
Complementing the exhibition, the Museu de Finestrat hosted a conference by Jean-Marc Baude, titled The Artist and the Knight, which explored Nelly’s creative journey and the narrative behind her work.
Recognised talent and ongoing legacy
Nelly Baude Gerouard studied Fine Arts in Caen, France, and her early talent was quickly recognised. In 1988, she won the prestigious Ville de Caen award and was named a promising young artist by Eighty magazine. Later, a Villa Medici grant supported her Fuentes de España project. Today, based in Finestrat, she continues to explore gestural and experimental painting, organic forms, and the origins of life, cementing her presence as a vibrant voice in contemporary art.
Museu de Finestrat’s cultural commitment
Tierra de sombra was open to the public at Museu de Finestrat until November 26, reflecting the museum’s ongoing commitment to promoting local and international talent on the Costa Blanca.