- What motivated you to pursue a career in art? Who supported you the most in this path?
I’ve been raised in an artistic family. My father was a painter and my mother was a writer. I spent most of my childhood in my father’s studio where I was surrounded by many artworks, paints, brushes and an artistic atmosphere. This artistic atmosphere of my childhood home was the main influence on my development as an artist.
- From your experience, what step do you think is very important in a painter’s career?
Becoming an overnight sensation as a painter happens rarely and to very few artists. For most painters who made their mark in the artistic world, practice and preparation were the keys to rising to the top of their field. Since painters today must also do much of their own marketing and promotion, it would be prudent for aspiring artists to combine studies in both art and business or marketing to make a good living as a painter.
It is also very important to be unique and creative enough to be noticed from millions of other artists.
- What saying or motto has influenced your career decisions the most?
My favorite one is: “Never give up, no matter what!” The process of keep going is part of the evolution of each artist.
- Have you noticed in time any change in your painting style? If so, what do you think made you make this change?
I’m kind of an experimenter, the curiosity of discovering something new as technique, media or style makes my paintings look so different.
I work in several styles, such as realism, pop art, cubism, abstractionism and surrealism. Just like nature, me and my art we continually change and grow.
- Have you ever had a moment in your life when you thought about giving up brushes and canvas? If so, what made you change your mind?
Yes, several times in my life I’ve got such a dilemma. To me the painting means an existence, it is what makes me feel alive, I could call it ‘love’…I don’t know, but it is powerful and I can’t exist without it.
- Can you tell us where your inspiration comes from?
Inspiration is a very interesting phenomenon. I could get inspired from something seen, experienced or just a dream, but sometimes I get inspired from very simple objects like fruit, shadow or candlelight.
- In many of your paintings we can see women, hands, or boats as the main subjects. Is there a specific reason why you chose to turn these entities into the heroes of your paintings?
Well, there’re symbols in each piece of art. The women’s portraits are symbolizing femininity, tenderness, and desires. The hands could express any human feeling in their different poses, from hate to passion and care. And my boats, they are pilgrims on their lonely journeys. They symbolize human life. In the end, I try to suggest a message in each painting.
- Is your art related to certain social issues or human feelings?
Each art tries to impress and for this reason, it is related to human feelings.
If my paintings evoke some emotions in the viewer, then I did my job well. It is only the public that can judge my work.
I plan to create artworks on social themes and I hope to realize them soon.
- What message do you want to convey through your paintings?
My intention in painting is simply to be a contributor of beauty to this world and bringing the message to people to be more spiritual.
In our consumer world, we become more self-focused on meeting our physical needs, moving away from spiritual growth.
- Do people always understand the message of the paintings or do they just see what they want to see?
I think they do understand my art. I’m rarely asked what I mean in a certain painting.
- What do you think about contemporary art? What can you praise and what can you criticize about it?
I like all forms of contemporary art today. Some artworks are strange to me, some of them I don’t understand very well, but they all provoke me to think and feel.
The truth is the art today evolves faster than our minds.
- What is the most enjoyable moment of your work?
The most enjoyable moment is the appraisal of my public.
- Does your art have a great message to convey to the whole world? If so, what is it?
I wish to say the world to be more spiritual, humane, and compassionate. Each of us can give a lot to the world bringing happiness to others.
- What important secret can you share with painters at the beginning of their career?
It is because talent does not always translate to success! Successful people have many other skills that help them to achieve their goals. But to work on your talents, you have first to discover them. Developing our skills need practice, many years of training. Practice, practice and more practice is the main key to success. The public is seeing the result of our long-time practice.
