‘Art is a harmony parallel with nature’ – Paul Cézanne

Where art meets nature

Here at Sol y Luna, we understand the deep connection that exists between art and nature. Located in the heart of the breathtakingly beautiful Sacred Valley, we have a golden opportunity to celebrate this relationship.

We have developed a new Artist Immersion program, the purpose of which is to bring together artists, nature and community in this most dramatic and uplifting of locations. It is a unique experience for our visiting artists, allowing them to immerse themselves in – and become inspired by – the region’s rich history, vibrant culture and spectacular landscapes.

Where creativity meets compassion

But this is more than merely a creative retreat for artists selected to participate in the program. The initiative is embedded within the mission of the Sol y Luna Foundation, which provides love, care, education and support to disadvantaged local children, supporting families and the local community and providing a home to underprivileged children in the region.

Taking inspiration from the Andean principle of ayni – the spirit of reciprocity that defines life in the Sacred Valley – the Sol y Luna Foundation provides a space for creativity and compassion to coexist and grow together as a force for good.

The work of our visiting artists is designed as a tribute to the natural world and local culture and community, deepening the connection between art, nature, and the spirit of the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Sol y Luna welcomes distinguished artist Delfina Bourse

We were delighted to welcome our first artist-in-residence to Sol y Luna in February 2025. The Argentine visual artist Delfina Bourse spent a number of days with us, spending time visiting the Sol y Luna Foundation, exploring the surrounding landscapes and archaeological wonders, visiting local towns and villages and immersing herself in the rich tapestry of Andean culture.

“The experience at the Sol y Luna Foundation immediately filled me with admiration for the work being done there every single day” said Delfina following her stay with us.

“It made me reflect on the meaning of what we do and the meaning of the artistic act itself – as a deeply ancestral need to represent ourselves, one that still remains relevant. There is a constant transformation, always waiting to be reimagined.”

Delfina trained at the Prilidiano Pueyrredón School of Fine Arts under the tutelage of eminent abstract artist Tulio de Sagastizábal. She was presented with the National Painting Award from the Central Bank of Argentina in 2010 and has exhibited at ArteBA, the Recoleta Cultural Center, the San Martín Cultural Center, the OSDE Foundation, and the Palatina Gallery.

In 2009, she co-founded the Mini Artistas workshop, where she teaches art classes to children and adolescents. She also teaches painting workshops and clinics for adults, promoting her work through teaching.

Sol y Luna made for a fitting location for Delfina, whose work is driven by nature, pattern and abstraction. Material density, colour and texture are central to the processes she employs. Combining abstract expressionism, impressionist lyricism and contemporary eclecticism, Delfina unpicks, recombines and recontextualizes fragments, transforming surfaces into multi-layered, dynamic landscapes of evolving meaning.

We introduced Delfina to the crucial work of the Sol y Luna Foundation – giving her a tour of the Sol y Luna school and Children’s Home.  Delfina was able to share her passion for art and creative talent during art workshops with the children, introducing them to the world of abstract art and demonstrating new ways of artistic interpretation.

Through a playful and immersive exploration of clothing, she kindled in them a joy in self-expression, driven by curiosity, imagination, and the fun of arts and crafts.

In addition to the time spent with the children, Delfina also produced a painting honouring the Sacred Valley’s natural beauty and abundant wildlife.

Delfina also spent time at the Hummingbird Sanctuary, before visiting the lively Urubamba Market, always an authentic, stimulating experience, filled with more locals than tourists and bursting with fruit, vegetables, household goods and traditional crafts. She popped into the enchanting Inca town of Pisac, enjoyed time at the bustling Chinchero textile fair and visited the rural Andean community of Huilloc Patacancha.

Exploring the Sacred Valley

No trip to the Sacred Valley would be complete without visiting the Inca ruins at Moray, the town of Maras, surrounded by snow-capped peaks, or the famous salt mines built in to the slopes outside the village. Our private guides ensured that Delfina was taken to all three, while also giving her time to explore the area on horseback and to relax, unwind and soak up all that Sol y Luna has to offer, such as the exceptional gastronomy on offer at our Killa Wasi and Wayra restaurants.

Delfina was treated to the unique cultural and spiritual experience that is Pago a la Tierra and enjoyed time at the village of Yucay, a jewel in the crown of the Sacred Valley, with its vibrant community and rich history and culture. We took Delfina to Ollantaytambo, a hugely significant Inca town and archaeological site near Cusco.

It was a pleasure to welcome Delfina onto our Artist Immersion program. It was humbling seeing how engaged she became with the local environment and how moved and inspired she was by the dramatic landscapes, lively communities, historical heritage and local spiritual practices.

She was fascinated by the traditions of communities such as Huilloc, Patacancha, Pisac and Chinchero and really took time to learn about the artisanship that is so much a part of the region.

“The idea of nature represents an inspiration” reflected Delfina, as her stay at Sol y Luna came to an end. “Not only as a field of observation, but rather in its state of transformation, a dynamic and vital attitude of regeneration.”

It is exciting to think of Delfina, now back in Argentina, translating her recent experience at Sol y Luna into her artistic practice. We know that she will draw on the captivating spirit of the Sacred Valley as she continues to be inspired by nature to create powerful and evocative works of art.