Every year, we open the NomadHer Illustration Challenge with one goal in mind: to uplift and celebrate women artists from around the world. For us, it’s about giving women the space to express women’s stories, dreams,  their vision of a world where it’s safe to be seen and heard.

This year’s challenge was part of NomadHer × RYSE Hotel’s Women DJs Night: Fête de la Musique 2025, a special event where we celebrated music, art, and women’s voices through the lens of French culture. We received so many heartfelt submissions from women in every corner of the globe. After careful review, we selected 15 finalists whose works moved us deeply. Then, we opened it up to the NomadHer community, more than 400,000 women across 190 countries, to vote for the pieces that spoke to them.

Now, we’re proud to introduce the artist who received the most votes: Afifah Naddif Thalaatha (Indonesia) whose artwork captured the spirit of our themes, She Can Travel Anywhere, solo travel, dreams & beyond with honesty and imagination.

Along with her, we’re excited to share the stories of the Top 10 finalists, each of whom created something truly powerful. Their art reflects who they are: creative, thoughtful, and free. Through their creativity, they remind us why NomadHer exists to create a safe, supportive space where women can express themselves fully and travel through life on their own terms. Let’s scroll down to meet these amazing artists, view their illustrations, and read a few words they shared with us along the way!

🥇 Afifah Naddif Thalaatha (Indonesia): 2025 NomadHer Illustration Challenge Winner

1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

What first drew me to this competition was knowing that it was created by women, for women. That felt really inspiring. What made it even more exciting for me was one of the themes, "She Can Travel Anywhere." I personally connect with that so much, because I truly love traveling, whether it’s solo or with the people I care about.

2. What did you want to express through your artwork?

I wanted to show just how excited I feel when I’m about to travel somewhere. I get so enthusiastic that it feels like a roadmap is already forming above my head, guiding me through the journey.

3. What does travel mean to you personally?

To me, traveling is a way to play, to learn, and to discover different sides of the world. Every trip I’ve taken has given me new thoughts, fresh perspectives, and stories that I’ll always remember.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

Honestly, every place I’ve traveled to has been special and meaningful in its own way. Each destination holds its own mix of joy and challenges, and I carry memories from all of them. But one moment that really touched me and has stayed with me since childhood was a trip to a strawberry farm at the foot of Mount Merapi in Central Java. I still remember how much I enjoyed that experience, my siblings and I spent the day picking strawberries, and we even got to eat what we picked. The weather was so cool and refreshing. I really miss those peaceful, simple moments. As for my dream destination, one of the places I truly dream of visiting is Adelaide, Australia. I imagine it as a calm and quiet place, somewhere I can feel at peace, yet still surrounded by people from different cultural and social backgrounds. I believe Adelaide could offer that special balance.

5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

From what I’ve seen, NomadHer is such a positive and supportive community, created by women, for women. I love how it encourages us to travel with joy, confidence, and a sense of safety. It’s truly empowering to be part of a space like that.

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The next top 10 voted artists are listed in alphabetical order.

Olga Aleksandrova (Uzbekistan)

1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

 Just for fun! I had some time between projects and thought why not give it a try?

2. What did you want to express through your artwork?

The word that best describes my work is freedom! For me, NomadHer represents the freedom of being a woman feeling confident and safe.

3. What does travel mean to you personally?

I’m an avid traveler. Travel is a basic need for me, like food. It’s a door to a new world each time.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

My dream destination is South Africa, and I’m about to visit my second dream destination, Japan. My favorite so far is Kyrgyzstan, which has the most beautiful nature.

5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

It's meaningful and inspiring!

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Justine Braguy (Saudi Arabia)

1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

I’m a scientist, an entrepreneur, and a graphic designer. I truly believe in the power of representation, and I wanted to use my art and skills to increase visibility for ideas and concepts that resonate with me. This competition was a great opportunity to create something meaningful about two things I love travel and music while supporting a concept as inspiring as NomadHer.

2. What did you want to express through your artwork?

I wanted to represent solo traveling as something beautiful, peaceful, and magical. I hoped my illustration would inspire people to explore unknown places and feel empowered to book that ticket and travel alone!

3. What does travel mean to you personally?

Traveling helps me refine my comfort zone and challenge preconceived ideas. It’s also how I slow down, change my perspective, and reassess my priorities both in life and in art.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

My favorite destination is Sevilla.I love colors, and walking around a yellow city that smells like orange blossoms is one of my favorite things in life. My dream destination is any island, really. I’m obsessed with water. I love the idea of exploring a small space filled with beautiful nature.

5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

I’m new to the NomadHer community, but I love the values it shares. I’m hoping to meet like minded people and build meaningful connections through it.

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Lina Mayorga (United States)

‍1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

When I saw NomadHer’s theme, something sparked in me. I joined because I’m at a turning point in my life, shifting from fashion to fully embracing the arts. This competition felt like a gentle invitation to express movement and transformation in my own language.

2. What did you want to express through your artwork?

My piece is called She’s Made of Routes and Reveries. It’s about the many women we become when we allow ourselves to move across oceans, across versions of ourselves. I wanted it to say: travel isn’t just a destination, it’s a transformation within.

3. What does travel mean to you personally?

Travel is how I remember who I am and how I become someone new. It stretches me, softens me, and brings me back to life. It’s an act of creative rebirth.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

Korea is a favorite I’ve wandered side streets, felt far from home, and somehow more myself than ever. My dream is Tokyo in the fall: temples, ochre leaves, and sketching with crazy art supplies!

5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

It’s rare to find a space that treats women’s movement and freedom as both sacred and inspiring. NomadHer celebrates connection and sisterhood. I feel incredibly lucky to have found this community.

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Geraldine Millan (Colombia / USA)

‍1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

I love traveling, being a woman, and creating art. This competition represented many of the things that are most important in my life. I had never done digital art before, but I wanted to take on the challenge and try something new even if it felt scary. For me, it wasn’t just about winning it was about trusting that I can go after my wildest dreams when I take a leap of faith... and put in the work!

2. What did you want to express through your artwork?

I wanted to express that traveling is a powerful act of love, love for ourselves, and love for the world around us. Every time we step out of our comfort zone, we grow. We meet amazing people, collect unforgettable stories, and discover just how much we’re capable of.

3. What does travel mean to you personally?

 Through travel, we learn so much not just about the world, but about ourselves. It opens our hearts and minds, and becomes a key to self-knowledge and personal growth. My piece is called Knowing the World, Knowing Myself. Travel has helped me heal and become a better person not because of how many passport stamps I’ve collected, but because of everything I’ve experienced.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

South Korea holds a very special place in my heart,I once lived there, and it felt like the closest thing to home while being far away. I’d love to visit the Lofoten Islands in Norway, Madeira in Portugal, Japan, French Polynesia, China, Nepal and so many more!

5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

 Being supported means everything, especially in a world where women often don’t feel safe wherever they go. It’s amazing to have a space where we lift each other up. NomadHer was created by women and for women who believe that anything is possible, and I know it has inspired so many of us to go after our dreams with more courage.

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Sidal Özdurmus (Germany)

1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

I feel like people should contribute to the community with the talents that they have. And since this is a field I’m interested in, I wanted to give back to the community in this form.

2. What did you want to express through your artwork?

The art piece demonstrates a girl in London. It is actually a self-portrait and shows my first travel experience without parents. But anyone could see themselves as the girl in the piece. I feel like hijabis are underrepresented in the field of solo traveling, so I want to motivate any hijabi that is still scared of doing the first step of traveling alone. Additionally, I want to encourage any other girl and woman to start their own journey and see the world for themselves, instead of being told about it.

3. What does travel mean to you personally?

Traveling for me means fun, but also strength and knowledge. I think a good travel experience should teach you a lot but should also be fun. The more you get to know the world, the more you get to know yourself, especially when traveling alone. You grow as a person and gain strength through that.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

My favorite travel destination is where my roots are from: Türkiye! Even if I am ethnically Turkish, I still experience many different cultural aspects every time I visit, and I’m fascinated every time. My dream destination is Korea, since I’ve always wanted to experience a culture that is totally different from where I’m from. And I really want to go diving in Jeju!

5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

I am so thankful and so happy to be part of the NomadHer community. I wish as many girls as possible would participate, the more the merrier! And I want to meet more people, so if anyone is in Germany, hit me up!

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Kseniia Vannoy (USA)

1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

I chose to participate in the art 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.

2. What did you want to express through your 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.

3. What does travel mean to you personally?

For me, travel has always meant one thing: freedom. The freedom to explore, to grow, to reconnect with myself and with others. Ever since I started working after school, travel has been an inseparable part of my life. I’ve journeyed across the world, even changed the country I call home. Now, as a travel inspired illustrator, I bring that same spirit of adventure into my work.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

One of my favorite travel experiences was visiting Tenerife in the Canary Islands. That island feels like nature’s greatest hits from climbing a volcano to kayaking alongside dolphins at sunset. The locals even call it European Hawaii. As for my dream destination, it’s the real Hawaii. As a PADI-certified diver, I’ve always dreamed of exploring its underwater world and volcanic seascapes.

5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

When I traveled solo across Europe, the NomadHer community was always there, full of great tips, ideas, and encouragement. What makes NomadHer truly special is its mission: to make female solo travel safe, empowering, and unforgettable. That vision is not only unique, it’s absolutely beautiful.

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Son Anna Vladimirovna (South Korea)

1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

Art has always been a hobby for me and, at times, even a form of therapy. I've never studied it professionally, so this competition felt like a rare opportunity to share a part of myself that I usually keep private.

‍2. What did you want to express through your artwork?

I wanted to express that we should listen to our hearts before anything else. It’s not the outside world, but our inner voice that sets the rhythm of our lives.

3. What does travel mean to you personally?

To me, travel means inspiration, renewal, and the opportunity to explore new aspects of who I am.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

For domestic travel in Korea, I prefer Jeju. It feels like a calmer, slower version of Korea, still safe, but beautifully peaceful. My dream destination is Italy. A few years ago, I saw some stunning photos of an Italian village, and since then, I’ve dreamed of visiting it at least once. It felt like magic.

‍5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

Discovering such a warm and empowering community of women has been truly uplifting. I participated in the Busan meeting and I'm planning to join the Jeju Haenyeo Camp next month. I can already feel that NomadHer is becoming a beautiful and inspiring part of my life in Korea.

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Avrora Zlatkina (Ukraine / England)

1. Why did you choose to participate in this competition?

I joined because NomadHer’s values deeply resonate with me. I left Ukraine in 2022 with just a backpack. The first thing I packed was my tablet to keep drawing and stay sane. My experience became a visual message of hope.

2. What did you want to express through your artwork?

Even if your journey begins with hardship, you can choose how it continues. I wanted to show the beauty in chaos. That’s why I used collage to reflect positive memories collected along the way.

‍3. What does travel mean to you personally?

Traveling is true freedom. I don’t just visit, I live, observe, and absorb. Being a nomad is my way of life.

4. Can you share your favorite travel destination and your dream destination? Why are they special to you?

My favorite place is London. I was obsessed with Victorian history, and now I’ve lived in the UK for three years. My dream is to visit Mount Fuji in spring and walk among the cherry blossoms alone.

5. What are your thoughts on the NomadHer community?

My mom always reminds me to stay safe. As women, we have to think about that constantly. That’s why NomadHer means so much, it helps us find not just travel companions, but friends. And most importantly, it’s safe.‍

What’s Next?

This challenge was about amplifying voices, sharing truths, and building a safer, more empowering world for women through creativity. Each artist reminded us that stories take many forms and sometimes, they begin with a blank page and the courage to fill it.

If this moved you, inspired you, or made you want to pick up a pen yourself... stay close. We’re just getting started.