About The Artist

Inês Vila Mona Santiago is an emerging visual artist from Portugal with a background in media and design. A multidisciplinary creator, Inês draws her deepest inspiration from the beach: the sound of waves, the texture of sand, the vastness of the ocean, and the hidden treasures waiting to be uncovered. These natural elements and the objects she collects from the shore find their way into her work, forming a dialogue between humanity and nature.

Recently Featured

HOPE EXHIBITION – SUBOART ONLINE & PRINTED MAGAZINE, 2025

In-Between States

ACRYLIC AND PASTEL ON PAPER

Morning pages

INTUITIVE DRAWINGS CREATED AS A DAILY RITUAL TO CLEAR THE MIND AND IGNITE CRIATIVITY

Ephemeral Odds Series

COMPOSITIONS WITH CARDBOARD, PAPER, SHELLS, PEBBLES, ACRYLIC AND PLASTIC WASTE, found at the beach.

Each piece explores mixed media on a 10×10 cm cardboard base, incorporating paper, shells, pebbles, sand, bushes, clay, and plastic waste—all found along the beach. These materials, rich in texture and history, reflect the interplay between nature and human-made debris. True to its name, Ephemeral Odds embodies impermanence: every piece is dismantled after being photographed, leaving only the image behind as a record of its existence.

Limited Edition Fanzine

A COLLECTION OF 40 DAILY INTUITIVE COMPOSITIONS

Adaptation Series

SCULPTURES MADE OUT OF NATURAL ELEMENTS & PLASTIC WASTE

Exploring the tension between human impact and nature’s resilience. “Reborn Corals” embodies the chaos caused by pollution, blending vibrant plastics with organic elements to reflect ecosystems’ struggle to adapt and survive.

Metamorphosis

SCULPTURES MADE OUT OF CLAY, SHELLS, PEBBLES AND SAND

After two decades in a fulfilling UX career, balancing side creative projects, Inês has now stepped away to rediscover her true identity—beyond the job title. In this journey, clay became her material of choice, a medium she could shape with emotion.

“Crafting with handmade tools from nature, I let go of control, embracing unpredictability and connecting deeply with the natural world.”

Calligraphic Studies

INDIAN INK, ACRYLIC AND PEN ON PAPER

Embrace Series

INDIAN INK, ACRYLIC AND PASTEL ON PAPER

“By juxtaposing synthetic and organic elements, I explore how chaos arises through human intervention in natural cycles, uncovering both destruction and unexpected forms of beauty.”

Maré Negra

INDIAN INK, ACRYLIC, CLAY, SHELLS AND SAND ON PAPER