Why I Turn Mountain Memories Into Contemporary Art

The idea for my mountain paintings began thousands of metres above sea level, while descending from the Thorong La Pass on the Annapurna Circuit.

The landscapes throughout the trek had been incredible, but coming over the pass felt different. The scenery changed dramatically and, standing amongst the vast Himalayan peaks, I had an overwhelming desire to somehow capture the moment.

Not in a photograph - I already had hundreds of those.

I wanted something that could capture how it felt to be there.

That was when the idea of turning mountain memories into contemporary art began.

Cat Goward trekking the Annapurna Circuit

From the mountains to the studio

I hadn't picked up a paintbrush seriously for a while, but returning from the Himalayas reignited something in me.

I started painting the mountains I'd experienced on the trek, experimenting with colour, texture and simplified landscapes rather than trying to recreate exactly what I'd photographed.

I realised I wasn't interested in painting a photographic representation of a mountain. I wanted to capture the atmosphere of being there - the scale, stillness, changing light and the feeling of standing somewhere completely removed from everyday life.

And I started wondering: if I wanted artwork that could take me back to those places, perhaps other people would too.

Why mountain memories stay with us

There's something about the mountains that creates incredibly powerful memories.

It might be the calm and tranquillity you feel at altitude, or the physical challenge of reaching a summit. Sometimes it's the fear, exhaustion and discomfort that make an adventure unforgettable.

Other times, it's a much quieter moment.

Watching the sun disappear behind a ridge. Waking before sunrise and seeing the first light hit a summit. Walking through a forest towards snow-covered peaks. Or simply stopping on a trail and taking in the landscape around you.

A photograph can document what the mountain looked like.

But I want my paintings to capture something different: what it felt like to be there.

Through colour, texture, composition and atmosphere, I can interpret those memories and create a piece of contemporary art that becomes a visual reminder of the experience.

Fire Summit - Contemporary Mountain Painting Inspired by Alpenglow on the Annapurna Circuit

Paintings that take you back to a place

One of the things I love most is hearing where collectors choose to hang their paintings.

Many put them somewhere they see every day - in a living room, bedroom or another important space in their home.

They tell me that looking at the painting transports them back to the landscape it represents.

Sometimes that connection comes from one of my existing paintings.

Some of the first pieces I sold went to a collector in America who had also completed the Annapurna Circuit with her Dad. My Himalayan paintings - Annapurna in Rose & Annapurna in Blue reminded her of the landscapes they had experienced together.

Another collector had a deep connection with the Cascade Mountains. He wanted a painting that captured his memories of sunrise over the mountains and the lush green forests beneath the snow-capped peaks.

Commissioned painting of the Cascade Mountains

Turning someone else's mountain story into art

This idea eventually became the foundation of my mountain painting commissions.

One client came to me because her husband had climbed Mount Kenya twice. She wanted to give him something deeply personal: an original painting that would remind him of conquering one of Africa's highest peaks.

Another couple commissioned me to paint Mount Kazbek, a mountain that held a special place in their lives. His wife discovered my work on Instagram and together we created a contemporary interpretation of a landscape that meant something to them.

Every story is different, and that's what makes commissions so personal.

Commissioned painting of Mount Kenya

More than a painting of a mountain

A mountain painting can represent far more than a beautiful landscape.

It might mark the summit you spent years dreaming about reaching. The national park you return to again and again. The place you got engaged. A hiking trip with someone you love. A landscape from your childhood. Or simply somewhere in the world where you felt completely at peace.

That's why I love creating these paintings.

They're not intended to be exact reproductions of photographs. They're interpretations of experiences - using colour, texture and atmosphere to create something personal that can live in your home for years to come.

I don't paint what the mountain looks like. I paint how it feels.

And for me, that's what turning mountain memories into contemporary art is really about.

Beyond the Valley - contemporary mountain painting

Have a mountain memory you'd love to turn into art?

If there's a mountain, hiking adventure or landscape that holds a special place in your heart, I create bespoke contemporary mountain paintings inspired by your photographs, memories and experiences.

You can explore my mountain painting commissions and discover how we can turn your story into an original piece of art.