She refused to be confined, crafting a life as vast as the oceans she now paints. At 71, Brenda Malley's story is a testament to the elemental force of discovery.

Before the adventures. Before the seascapes and gallery exhibitions. Brenda Malley was restless.

At 24, she traded academic halls for airplane aisles, becoming an Aer Lingus hostess in 1977. For nine years, she didn't just travel — she confronted horizons. Solo treks to Everest base camp, battling dysentery in Nepal, cycling New Zealand for three months, running marathons from Central Park to Irish mountains. Each experience etched deeper lines of resilience into a spirit that refused stillness.

Love found its anchor on a 1984 transatlantic flight where she met Michael, beginning a four-decade marriage. Their life unfolded in constant motion — Dallas, Raleigh, Dublin, France — each relocation demanding profound adaptability. This forged her philosophy: "Ask what makes your heart sing, and go do that."

But her truest expression remained elusive until two decades ago, during a solitary week on Ireland's western coast. With palette knife in hand, she experienced a transformative breakthrough — channelling the ocean's untamed power and her own adventurous spirit onto canvas.

Now, at 71, from her Wicklow farm studio, she's preparing for a solo exhibition this October.

With this episode diving deep into Brenda’s story including her time as an air hostess, the beauty of art, and how the worst experiences make up the best stories, listen to an unflinching journey into a soul that found its truest expression in the wild currents of life and the infinite, ever-changing horizon of the sea's truth. 

Connect with Brenda Malley's powerful seascapes and story on Instagram: @brendamalleyartist and her website: www.brendamalley.com