For Sylvia Baker de Perkal, becoming a professional artist wasn’t part of an early consciousness of a natural ability, or a carefully plotted plan—it was a calling that revealed itself gradually, almost quietly, and then somehow, almost overnight just six years ago, she just knew it was her future. Today, from her countryside studio in Algaida, surrounded by the changing rhythms and colour palette of Mallorcan nature, she creates evocative works of art that channel joy, serenity and a deep sense of beauty. With a rapidly growing client base and a unique bespoke offering called Art Tailored to Your Vision, Sylvia is proving that it’s never too late to pursue a dream—and that intuition, talent, and a touch of serendipity can shape a career as vivid as one of her canvases.
Last week I was invited for a private viewing of Sylvia’s studio. “I have always been interested in art,” she begins. “When I visited shows, I used to think, ‘One day, when I paint, this is the way I shall do it’—as if my subconscious already knew what was in store.”
Sylvia’s artistic path may have waited in the wings for years, but her life has been rich with diverse chapters. After a successful career in banking technology in London and Madrid, she moved to Mallorca and transitioned into translation—a field that gave her the flexibility to be fully present as a mother. But the arrival of AI in the language services industry, followed by the pandemic, led to a significant downturn in freelance work.
It was an art workshop about six years ago that changed everything. “I attended a morning session on creativity, and two of the artists present told me I had talent,” she recalls. “That encouragement gave me the push I needed to take up painting in earnest. Since then, I haven’t looked back.”
Entirely self-taught, Sylvia’s creative journey is one of exploration, joy, and bold experimentation. “Every brushstroke is a discovery,” she says with a smile. “I am thoroughly enjoying this journey.”
Nature as muse
Living amid the open landscapes of Algaida, Sylvia finds daily inspiration in the natural world. “Nature is my main source,” she explains. “There is beauty in every season, every sunrise. I wake up to it each morning and feel the need to honour it through my work.”
Her style blends impressionistic softness with daring touches of colour and texture—a nod to two of her favourite painters, Claude Monet and Vincent van Gogh. “I admire Monet’s dreamy use of colour and Van Gogh’s bold, fearless brushwork,” she says. “But truly, I learn from every artist I encounter, whether in galleries, books, or museums.”
A healing practice
For Sylvia, painting is more than an artistic exercise—it’s a therapeutic experience. “It forces you to get out of yourself, to enter a timeless, magical realm filled with possibilities,” she says. “All sadness and worry are erased for a while.”
Her observations align with growing scientific interest in ‘neuroaesthetics’—a field exploring the healing power of art, dance, and music on the brain. “Painting can be healing whether you’re creating it or simply viewing it. Sometimes, just observing a piece that stirs your emotions can have a profound effect.”
This understanding of art’s emotional resonance led Sylvia to launch Art Tailored to Your Vision, a bespoke service where she works closely with clients to create custom pieces designed for a specific space, colour palette, or atmosphere.
Translating vision into canvas
“I discovered early on that I have the ability to sense what a person wants to see reflected in a painting,” she explains. Whether it’s an interior designer working on a whole-house project or a client seeking a gift or centerpiece for a specific space, Sylvia takes their ideas—however abstract—and translates them into tangible, striking artworks.
“Give me the subject matter, the feeling you wish to evoke, the colours, the size, even Pinterest boards or wallpaper samples—and I’ll bring it all to life.”
Her collaboration with local interior designer Justine Knox has been especially fruitful. “Justine provides very specific guidelines and trusts me to deliver the right pieces,” she says. One recent commission involved a master bedroom transformation: “She gave me a roll of the metallic wallpaper from the opposite wall, and I incorporated it into a palm tree landscape that picked up the room’s copper, gold and ice-blue tones. The result was so well received, the client commissioned three more pieces.”
Sylvia also created six bespoke works for the luxury boutique hotel Palacio Príncipe Real in Lisbon, designing elegant, site-specific pieces for guest rooms and the main lobby. Other commissions have come from therapists seeking inspiring pieces for treatment rooms, and private collectors with a clear aesthetic vision.
Materials that tell a story
Her preferred medium is acrylic, which suits her spontaneous, energy-driven process. “It dries quickly and allows me to work in bursts of intensity,” she explains. But it’s collage that gives many of her works their unique texture and layered meaning.
“I use painted tissue paper to shape sculptural flowers, and printed materials—pages from books, vintage ads, verses from poets—to add narrative texture. The text, colour, and even the font can echo the intricacy of nature or infuse the work with an extra emotional dimension.”
Looking ahead
As her bespoke commissions gain momentum, Sylvia has also been preparing for a solo exhibition in Asia later this year. “I’ve been working daily in my studio, and recently expanded my space to create a showroom and a larger work area,” she says. “It’s a dream come true—to have both the space and the time to devote to this work fully.”
Her joy is unmistakable, and her advice to others is clear: “Perseverance and hard work are essential, but you also need people around you who believe in you. I’ve been lucky to have the support of family and friends—and a few strokes of good fortune that remind me I’m on the right path.”
As our conversation ends, it’s easy to see that for Sylvia Baker de Perkal, art is not just what she creates—it’s how she sees the world: with attentiveness, gratitude, and an explosion of colour.
To commission a bespoke artwork or explore Sylvia’s portfolio, follow her on Instagram @sylviabakerdeperkal or on her website: https://sylviabakerdeperkal.my.canva.site/
Sylvia’s showroom in Algaida is open by appointment.