Guadeloupe has an abundance of magnificent landscape, which naturally inspires many local and international artists – notably Jimmy Sheikboudhou who, for almost 20 years, has brought color and depth into many people’s lives.
CREATIVE UNIVERSE ~ When traveling around Guadeloupe, you cannot help but be attracted to the colorful creations of Jimmy Sheikboudhou, out in the open for all to see. They reflect a quasi-rite of passage that is continually evolving. Born and raised on the island, a standard school education led Jimmy Sheikboudhou to study management and accounting. However, he soon realized that this would not interest him for very long. So, at the age of 19, he decided to follow his heart, as well as his roots, and leave it all behind to buy a ticket to India. It was in the country of his ancestors where he had a revelation: through Art he could express and convey the riches of his inner world – a creative universe tinged with spirituality … in full color! On returning to his homeland, he quickly put his thoughts into action; using brushes and spray cans in combination with different techniques, he produced his very first frescoes. He was convinced that he had made the right choice … this passion would never leave him.
INDIAN INFLUENCES ~ Omnipresent on the island, his work is imbued with the landscape and symbols of Caribbean culture, and it travels far beyond the borders of Guadeloupe and even the Caribbean. You can thus find his imprint, his ‘graphic’ mark, on walls in St Martin/Sint Maarten, the Saints, St Barts … and in all four corners of the globe – from Bali to Bangkok, including Marrakech, Paris and Geneva, not forgetting
many cities in India. For more than ten years now, Sheik has divided his life between the two countries close to his heart: Guadeloupe and India. He spends approximately six months of the year in the land of the Ganges and other sacred rivers, where he cultivates – beyond his artistic creativity – his fascination for local customs, traditions, together with spiritual and ancestral practices. Passionate about Yoga, he has been to the Himalayan valley many times, starting from Rishikesh (the world capital of Yoga); and he has developed a keen interest in energy and vibration therapies. He has also helped to fund the establishment of an ashram in this region.
COMPASSIONATE INSPIRATION ~ It is in this introspective context that Sheik created his most recent graphic work, entitled ‘We Love’. Like a pictorial depiction of his inner world, Sheik explains how it has almost become his sole mission to spread this positive message, full of compassionate thought and intention. In sharing some of his sensitivity, he hopes to encourage a conscious awakening, a process of transformation that, for example, allows a caterpillar to become a wonderfully colourful butterfly taking flight … just like his emblem. Nothing in particular may have led him to his artistic career, but it was by listening to his intuition, his inner voice, that led Jimmy to choose his path, with a type of ‘mantra’ in his head, which intensifies year after year: “Nothing is impossible and impossible is nothing!” If you are impressed by the works of this insatiably creative traveler, know that wherever you are you can call upon Jimmy Sheikboudhou – and he will happily bring you good vibrations through his colorful palette!
CONTACT
Sandra Espagne
sandra.espagne@orange.com
JIMMY SHEIK
Author: M. Flow
