Experience Art and Nature at Michael Adams Art Studio in Seychelles

The jungle on Mahé’s south coast swallows the road to Anse Aux Poules Bleues — “bay of the blue chickens” — long before the stream comes into view. Tucked at the end of it, next to that stream, stands a wooden plantation house overhung with fruit trees, including a horse-chestnut whose leaves Michael Adams describes as “the size of bus wheels.” This is the studio of the man widely acknowledged as the most famous artist in the Seychelles, and the first to open a studio on the islands. Three giant tortoises roam the grounds, a menagerie of cats, dogs, ducks, turkeys and guinea fowl patrols the garden, and inside, three rooms are filled to the rafters with brightly-coloured paintings.

Adams’ oil and silk screen paintings blend realism, symbolism and abstraction, a style he calls “hieroglyphic realism.” Human figures intertwine with the natural landscape, layered with eclectic symbols meant to evoke subconscious memories of Eden. His work focuses entirely on nature and his surroundings — the same jungle, tortoises, and blue-faced chickens that lay blue eggs outside his door. Pieces can also be seen at a number of fancy hotels across the islands, but the studio itself offers the full context: the stream, the horse-chestnut shade, the animals, and the artist’s own explanation of how it all connects.

Navigating Mahé’s Art Scene Beyond the Studio

Mahé’s art circuit extends well beyond Anse Aux Poules Bleues. The Seychelles Craft Village, located on Domaine de Val des Près in Au Cap on the east coast, gathers local arts and crafts under one roof: handcrafted jewellery, batik clothing, and handmade coconut products. The Grann Kaz Plantation House, dating back to around 1870, sits on the same property with most of its original features intact. For those who prefer to buy directly from makers, the six Kreolor shops across Mahé, Praslin and La Digue offer another route, while the Camion Hall complex is a good bet for one-of-a-kind items and locally made arts and crafts.

Two other notable artists work within reach of Victoria. Egbert Marday, whose acrylic, charcoal, collage, oil, wood, metal, cement, sand and resin pieces capture the soul of the Seychellois people, has his studio on the mountain in La Misere. George Camille works in etching, watercolor, pencil and pastel drawing, silk painting, acrylic and relief collages; his work is showcased at Kaz Zanana, a beautiful wooden gallery and café a short uphill walk from Victoria’s main downtown area. Camille’s pieces sum up the colour and spirit of Creole life, and he has gathered shuttered doors from old Creole houses, adding embossed copper with his signature symbols and patterns. None of these studios operate on a drop-in schedule — emailing ahead, as with Adams’ studio, is the local norm rather than an exception.

Planning Your Visit to Michael Adams Art Studio

The studio is open Monday to Friday from 10:30 AM to 1:00 PM and again from 1:30 PM to 4:00 PM, with a shorter Saturday window of 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM. It is closed on Sundays and public holidays. The midday break means you cannot simply show up and linger; the studio physically closes between 1:00 and 1:30, so plan your arrival to allow at least 45 minutes inside before the lunch shut. Confirming your visit via email at [email protected] or by phone at +248 4361006 is strongly encouraged — the studio is the artist’s home, and unscheduled arrivals may find no one there.

Getting there requires a vehicle. The south coast road from Victoria to Anse Aux Poules Bleues takes roughly 40 minutes by car, but the final stretch narrows and the turning is easy to miss. A rental car offers the most flexibility — the road continues past the studio to other south-coast spots like Anse Royale — but taxis from Victoria will cost around SCR 600–800 each way. If you are basing yourself on the east coast near the Seychelles Craft Village, the drive across the island is about 30 minutes. Combining the studio with a morning at the Craft Village and a late lunch at one of the south-coast beach restaurants makes a logical half-day circuit, provided you respect the 1:00 PM closure window.

What You Can Buy and Take Home

The studio sells a diverse collection of Michael Adams’ works: vibrant silk-screen prints, watercolor paintings, postcards, and line blocks. Prices for prints start around SCR 500–800; original oil paintings cost significantly more. Select pieces are also available for purchase through the studio’s official website. The studio does not offer framing on-site, so factor in the logistics of transporting unframed prints — a sturdy portfolio tube is worth bringing if you plan to buy larger pieces.

Art workshops and classes are offered, covering topics from color theory to brush techniques. These are hands-on sessions with materials provided, and they include a souvenir. Given the limited hours and the need to schedule around the artist’s availability, workshops require email arrangement well in advance. They are best suited to travellers spending at least two nights on Mahé who can afford a flexible morning.

Other Art Venues Worth the Detour

George Camille’s Kaz Zanana, a short uphill walk from Victoria’s main downtown area, doubles as a café and gallery. The building itself is a restored Creole house, and Camille’s embossed copper panels on shuttered doors are some of the most distinctive contemporary pieces in the country. Egbert Marday’s mountain studio in La Misere requires a steeper drive but rewards visitors with work that uses cement, sand and resin alongside conventional media — a material vocabulary that feels specific to the islands. Neither venue has regular walk-in hours; both require phone or email contact ahead of time. If your itinerary only allows for one studio visit, Adams’ offers the broadest range of works and the most complete setting, but Camille’s gallery-café format is easier to fit into a Victoria morning.

Visitor Questions About Michael Adams Art Studio and Seychelles Art

Is Michael Adams Art Studio suitable for children?

Yes, but with a caveat. The studio grounds include three giant tortoises, chickens, ducks, and guinea fowl that children generally enjoy, and the art itself is colourful and accessible. However, the gallery rooms are filled with valuable, unframed works within arm’s reach, and there is no designated children’s area. Keep younger kids within sight near the tortoise enclosure rather than inside the gallery.

Can I buy original paintings directly from Michael Adams?

Original oil paintings are available for purchase at the studio, but the selection changes frequently and prices are not posted online. Silk-screen prints and watercolours are more reliably stocked and start at lower price points. If you are after a specific original, emailing ahead to confirm what is currently on display saves a wasted trip.

How does the art scene in Seychelles compare to other Indian Ocean islands?

Seychelles’ art scene is smaller and less commercialised than Mauritius or Réunion. There is no gallery district, no regular art fair, and most artists work from home studios by appointment. The trade-off is direct access: you meet the artist, see where they work, and buy without gallery markup. For collectors who value context over convenience, that arrangement works well.

What is the best time of year to visit the studio?

The studio is indoors and unaffected by weather, but the access road to Anse Aux Poules Bleues can become muddy and difficult after heavy rain. The driest months on Mahé are May through September, when the southeast trade winds bring lower humidity and less frequent downpours. Visiting during the wetter northwest monsoon (November to March) risks a slippery final approach, especially if you are in a standard rental car rather than a 4×4.

Is Michael Adams Art Studio worth visiting if I am not an art buyer?

Yes, for the setting alone. The plantation house, the stream, the horse-chestnut tree, and the roaming tortoises create a compound that feels like one of Adams’ paintings brought to three dimensions. Visitors who do not purchase anything still spend 20–30 minutes walking the grounds and watching the artist work. The main downside is the isolation — you will drive 40 minutes from Victoria for a stop that may feel brief if you are not shopping.

A Final Word on Seychelles’ Art Circuit

Most visitors to Seychelles leave without setting foot in a single artist’s studio, not because the work is inaccessible, but because the island’s art scene operates on a different rhythm than its beaches and hiking trails. The studios are homes, the hours are short, and the roads are winding. That friction is also the point: Michael Adams’ hieroglyphic realism, Egbert Marday’s cement-and-resin collages, and George Camille’s salvaged Creole doors all emerge from the same isolation that makes them hard to find. For travellers willing to email ahead and navigate the south coast’s narrow turns, the payoff is an encounter with contemporary Seychellois art that no hotel gallery can replicate. For a broader look at how to structure a Mahé itinerary around these stops, our guide to first-time Seychelles travel covers transport, timing, and how to balance studio visits with the island’s other draws.

Sources and further reading

Secrets of the Seychelles: Art. BBC StoryWorks.

Michael Adams Art Studio on Mahé. HeySey, 2025.

Michael Adams Art Studio profile. Triphock.