A magical ‘lore’ is embraced when designing and writing for the Porta Magicae Project, including this website—yet every study, painting, and photograph is very real and every location actually visited. This collection is the product of years of travel, research, and cultural immersion, as we work to capture some of the most singular destinations on Earth to feature in our books. Out of hundreds of images, this selection is carefully curated and periodically updated to best represent the depth and breadth of our experiences and to showcase the highlights of the landscape, architecture, flora, fauna, and the communities that we encounter. Behind each image lives a story. Behind each piece of art passed days on end of sketching and photographing details, of creating light and color studies at different hours, of finding the best angles and perspectives—we draw the crowds and draw portraits of individuals, and we collect memories of our conversations—anything and everything that could help us better capture the essence of a culture, a sense of place, a moment in time. The result is a collection unlike any other—watercolors, drawings, oils, and photographs that transport you into the lives of uncontacted indigenous peoples, onto the streets of Rome, among the Galápagos’ rarest inhabitants, and alongside the still waters of Japan’s most serene temples. 

The proceeds from the sales help support the making of the books

If you find that a piece you are interested in is no longer available, please contact us. As we study and capture locations from multiple angles and at different times of the day, we might still have a piece you would love. We also accept commissions.