There’s something powerful about a woman choosing to express herself through color, texture, and imagination. It’s not just about art. It’s about telling a story in a way only she can.

As part of NomadHer x RYSE Hotel  Women DJs Night: Fête de la Musique 2025 (Women’s Voice Through French Music), we opened up something special: the NomadHer Illustration Challenge 2025, a global open call for women to share their creative voice through illustration.

And you showed up.

From emerging creatives to first-time illustrators, women from around the world, many without any formal background in art, bravely shared their work. Each piece felt like a personal love letter to identity, freedom, and the journey of becoming a woman on her own terms.

Why Does This Matters?

At NomadHer, we’ve always believed that creativity has no rules. You don’t need to be a professional artist to have something meaningful to say. You just need a space where your voice is welcomed.

That’s what this challenge is about:
💛 Self-expression over perfection
💛 Courage over credentials
💛 Storytelling as empowerment

We created this challenge not just to celebrate art, but to celebrate you,  your journey, your imagination, and the freedom to create without limits.

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How to Vote ?🗳

You can vote for your favorite 3 illustrations, the ones that move you, speak to you, or simply make you feel something real.

🌟 The Top 10 artists will be featured in our gallery showcase at the Seoul rooftop festival.
🏆 The 1st place winner will also have the chance to co-create official NomadHer goods, with shared sales revenue (details to be discussed after selection!).

🧡 Voting is open now and closes on May 25
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👉Vote here for the finalists of the 2025 NomadHer Illustration Competition

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Meet the Finalists 👇

We received so many heartfelt, powerful illustrations from women across the globe. Each one telling a deeply personal story of identity, creativity, and empowerment. Below, you'll find our Top 15 finalists, presented in the order their submissions were received. Each piece is a reflection of a woman’s journey, her voice, her vision, and her courage to share it.

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‍1. Sidal Özdurmus (Germany)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I want to contribute to this community with a skill I possess in this case, drawing and I would love to connect to other people through this.

🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
It is a self-portrait (hence the head covering). It shows my first travel without parents. How great it turned out and that there is nothing to be scared of when traveling alone! I visited London and learned so much about how a different country could possibly function. As a female, I was scared at first to travel. Now that it turned out great, I want to encourage others with this illustration. 💕

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2. Ellie Wilson (United Kingdom)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I feel truly inspired by the concept around the app in supporting women on travel journeys. I feel enthusiastic about the travel theme as it’s a dream I have for the future. Travel is a special opportunity where individuals get to explore and experience freedom and adventure. This is something I would love to experience.

‍🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
I have always been pulled to go to Spain due to the culture and the atmosphere. I wanted to capture small details from this country as I visited there when I was younger. I chose small memories I had experienced such as seeing the cacti and farmers' chickens. This illustration is very personal to me as I wanted to visually showcase my memories and experience of this place. I also wanted to represent women in my illustration as I feel it’s a big part of the theme by supporting a community of female solo travellers.

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3. Lauren Chan (United States)

 🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I've solo traveled before, but only to places that speak my native language (English). I haven't had the courage to travel alone to a non-English speaking country (yet!). I did this in part to help motivate myself and any other solo female travelers who are in the same situation. There's a lot of the world to see and experience and it would be a shame to miss out just because of something like language or being alone.
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🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
"Passport to Anywhere" depicts the possibilities of travel. A hand holds a passport alongside a suitcase. What comes out of the open passport is a window into the potential to go to and experience other places in the world. Doesn't matter the destination or the method of travel. I wanted to create a sense of whimsy and dreaming in the piece.

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4. Olga Aleksandrova (Uzbekistan)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I'm a professional brand and editorial illustrator, as well as an avid traveler. Project Nomad is one I personally love, the idea, the brand's DNA, and especially Hyo's story. She's not only a business owner but also a woman who has truly made her mark in a patriarchal world. It's incredibly inspiring.

‍🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
Power in Her Path is a reflection of my own journey as a woman, an illustrator, and a nomad who has wandered through 27 countries. I’ve built a life on the move, chasing stories, landscapes, and freedom. This piece celebrates that spirit the belief that women can go anywhere, do anything, and feel at home wherever they choose to be.

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5. Marianna Jachowska (Poznań, Poland)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I love to draw and express myself in art forms. I drew already some girl-focused themes in the past while making a zine about menstruation or making art for a women's rights center in Poland while volunteering. Connecting that with my love of traveling and the feeling of accomplishment by overcoming my fears that come with it seems like an amazing idea. Except that I really love the NomadHer app and wanted to be a part of it in a more proactive way.
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🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
This illustration is my way of showing other girls, especially, young adults that travelling can be scary. It may seem like you lose your ground, but as long as you have a deep feeling of love and curiosity about the world around you, you will be okay. You can see some iconic places in the illustration from around the world like Jesus from Rio in Brazil, the Eiffel Tower, Golden Gate Bridge, but I also wanted to put there a tree since I really love the idea of not forgetting about our real home — the forest — and a view from the old town square in my home city of Poznań as a way of paying respect to its beauty and its role in my life.

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6. Léa Desmars (Paris, France)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
It's an opportunity to participate in a cause that is close to my heart, for a community that I admire an opportunity to be even more part of the community, to represent it through art, one of my passions!

‍🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
My illustration is inspired by a photograph of architect and designer Charlotte Perriand, a pioneering woman in her field. She represents for me a model of freedom and confidence. As a female trailblazer in the male-dominated world of architecture and design, Charlotte Perriand embodies the very essence of this contest's theme. She traveled around the world, particularly to Japan where she drew much of her inspiration, leaving an indelible mark on international design while breaking down barriers imposed on women of her era. The pose she strikes in this photograph invites freedom, freedom of body, freedom of dance! And you, what is your traveler’s pose?

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7. Geraldine Gonzalez Millan (Colombia)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I’m a solo traveler myself and traveling has changed me and my life in so many ways. I am also very creative and artistic and like to try new things often. One day, while looking for my next travel adventure, I landed on the competition post. I usually do watercolors or pencil drawings for fun. I had never done digital art before but felt so inspired to do something that brings together two of my passions: traveling and art. And I decided to give it a try. I found the post before my trip to Spain to do El Camino de Santiago. So I would walk a lot of kilometers in the mornings and learn how to do digital art in the evenings. It was very scary to think I would not be able to do it or finish it. But traveling has taught me to trust myself and do all those things that feel so scary. Life as a woman can be very scary in this world, but it can also be amazing and fun when we have a safe space and good people around us and this contest means that for me. A safe space to try new things in a community full of supportive women who share dreams and passions.

‍🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
Traveling and venturing beyond what’s familiar to us is an act of love to ourselves and to the world. Traveling helps us become new women while growing, learning and experiencing new worlds within our own world.

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8. Kseniia Gilfanova (United States)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I'm participating in the illustration competition because NomadHer has been a meaningful part of my journey for the past three years. I’ve already taken part in a previous competition, and it felt incredibly rewarding to contribute creatively to a community that has truly empowered me.
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🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
My artwork is a tribute to the courage and connection women have discovered through solo travel and the NomadHer sisterhood. The main message: travel isn’t just a destination  it’s a mindset. One we build together.

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9. Avora J (Ukraine, currently in England)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I decided to take part in the NomadHer competition because the platform’s values resonate deeply with my own story. Three years ago, I left Ukraine with just a backpack and a tablet. In those moments, I didn’t have the luxury of feeling weak — the road and my art became my anchors and made me stronger. For me, illustration is a way to remind others that even in the most uncertain times, you are still the author of your own story. I believe that my experience as a forced nomad can become a visual message of support for others: “Yes, your journey may begin due to unforeseen circumstances, but it can continue as a choice — to travel on your own terms, without fear.”

 🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
When I was a little girl, I dreamed of travelling. Back then, I had no idea that my biggest journey would come from having to leave my own country. I am Ukrainian. The war forced me to pack a suitcase and leave — not because I wanted to travel, but because I had to survive. Yet with every new place, I started to see not just loss but opportunity. The opportunity to discover the world and to rediscover myself.

For me, this illustration is not just about travelling — it’s about a way of life. It’s about finding beauty in chaos and capturing it. In my artwork, I included not only travel icons but also a dove of peace — a reminder that the world is not just borders but endless horizons.

I used the phrases “Just do it even if it scares you,” “Home is where the heart is,” “Call me if you get lost” — they’re not just words; they’re my inner compass, the messages I leave for myself and for others. I want every woman to know: whether her journey is forced or planned, she can go anywhere. And no matter how many roads lie behind her, she will always be on her own path.

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10. Afifah Naddif Thalaatha (West Java, Indonesia)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
What first caught my attention about this competition was definitely the theme: “Travel, Solo Travel, Women, Women Empowerment, or Music — She Can Travel Anywhere.” I felt like the theme totally spoke to me. Instantly, I knew exactly what kind of illustration I wanted to create. That’s why I got super excited to join this competition!
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🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
This piece was inspired by how I see myself and my experiences while traveling or exploring new places. I get so excited that it’s like the entire roadmap and all the fun of the journey are floating right above my head! One of the things I enjoy the most is exploring new places using all kinds of transportation and especially observing or chatting with the local people. Not only do I get new experiences, but I also learn so much about local culture, which makes it even more exciting. You can actually see that excitement in the illustration I created — just look at how wide my smile is.

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11. Lina Mayorga Suarez (United States)

‍🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I’m participating because I believe that illustration is a powerful way to show how women move through the world — emotionally, physically, and spiritually. This competition gave me a chance to connect art with the freedom I dream of, as an artist, traveler, and storyteller. I wanted to be part of a community that celebrates women’s journeys — literally and metaphorically.

🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
This piece is about motion, identity, and possibility. The swirling hair represents the flow of dreams, cultures, memories — all tangled into the spirit of a woman who travels. The airplane floats above her, almost like a thought or a wish, reminding us that every journey begins inside first. I wanted to express that travel isn’t just about places — it’s about becoming. The multiple women symbolize the versions of ourselves we meet across the map. This piece honors the magic of movement and the stories we carry with us as we go.

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12. Ornella Gianforte (Italy/Argentina)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
As a graphic designer and illustrator, I saw this as the perfect chance to contribute to something I truly believe in. I've followed the community for a while, and it’s one of the few spaces where I feel seen and represented. Creating this illustration was my way of giving back — of celebrating the freedom, strength, and diversity of women everywhere.

‍🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
This illustration celebrates the freedom and joy of solo female travel. Five unique women from different walks of life are shown exploring the world with confidence, curiosity, and a sense of adventure. The sign “She Can Travel Anywhere” is a reminder that every woman — no matter who she is or where she comes from — deserves to feel welcome everywhere. It’s about independence, inclusion, and the idea that we’re never really alone when we lift each other up.

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13. Elena Khoroshilova (Russia)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I really like the theme of your community — I’m inspired by the topics of tourism and women’s empowerment. I’m an illustrator and would like to share my art with people and make the world a little bit prettier and kinder with my illustrations — and draw what I like to draw.

‍🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
I think every girl has to have lots of opportunities and feel safe anywhere — and be strong if she wants to. The character in my illustration is just such a girl. She is brave and strong and curious — and she can do almost anything, even walk on clouds.

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14. Anna Son (Uzbekistan)

‍🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I always draw “for the drawer,” so it’s a chance to show NomadHer mates my simple work.

‍🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
“Listen to your heart, and the music of your life will begin to play.” I chose this phrase because, as women, we often ignore our inner voice, focusing instead on the noise around us — expectations, opinions, or pressure from others. But when we start truly listening to ourselves, to our hearts, we discover that we are capable of anything — even going anywhere, living freely, and creating the life we want.

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15. Justine Braguy (France)

🌱 What Inspired Her to Join:
I really like the NomadHer initiative, and I always like a good illustration challenge ☺️
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🖼 The Story Behind Her Artwork:
My illustration represents the serenity that solo traveling brings. With it, I wanted to represent the time taken to admire the beauty of the journey, the people and the places — as well as the calmness and introspection that it brings. All my solo trips brought a new level of personal growth and self-love — almost like an elevating step in my life journey, represented by the flying carpet.

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💛 We’d love your help in spreading the word!
Please share the voting link on your Instagram, TikTok, or anywhere you feel called to, let’s lift up these incredible women together.

The Top 15 finalists were carefully selected based on the artwork’s overall quality, how well it reflects NomadHer’s color guide, and how clearly it expresses the theme of travel, womanhood, and self-expression.

We’re aware that not all of us come from professional backgrounds or formal artistic training and that’s exactly what makes this community so special. We deeply admire every one of you for your effort, your honesty, and your willingness to create from the heart. Thank you for being brave enough to share your story!

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