How do you see your role as an artist?

I feel it’s divine. My gift is that I can draw and I love colours. I am still very interested in the technical aspects of drawing and I continue to learn more about it. I have great respect for the masters who have lived before me and for the few we still have.

Unfortunately, I see less and less attention towards technique and precision when I look at young artists’ work. They often have good ideas but due to the lack of technique, the message tends to be communicated in a careless and rushed manner therefore not reaching the full potential of the idea.

I am a messenger of beauty.

What guides your artistic expression?

I follow the pace and cycles of nature. It expresses itself in the colours I use. I don’t do it intentionally it just happens that in summer I have light, golden tones and once the dark blue nights appear in August my palette changes instantly, all of a sudden I want strong and rich blue hues. Even if the weather is very grey and dark I want to portray the beauty I see in those moments and the tonal nuances which can be very majestic and mystical. 

Year after year I paint how the snowdrops appear in the spring and it is always interesting because I don’t see it as a repetition but rather a search of self in terms of immersing myself in the beauty to communicate in the purest way possible. Most painters say they haven’t painted their best work yet and I feel the same way. This urge to improve motivates me to learn new techniques and take more risks in terms of context and ideas to follow. It is natural to then look back at the old work and see it as more boring or dull. It shows you have developed further.

When I paint I go deeper into myself and flow like a river. When the river flows with ease you see the plants and insects at the bottom but when it is stormy you only see the waves and hear the whistling wind. I choose to flow with ease and notice all of the details around me.

I believe every person has a gift. I think we should follow our unique interests and be grateful for them. They have a divine origin.’’

What creates a meaningful life?

I still remember a young boy in a TV show who was asked: ‘‘What is the purpose of life?’’ He answered: ‘‘Living’’. This young man gave a clear answer to a question that grownups have been philosophizing and debating for years! I think he was right!

We are so used to making things difficult and complex to find meaning in life but I would say that live your life in a way that brings a lot of joy to yourself and other people and create as much beauty as possible. Share your loving thoughts with your close ones and family.

Everything matters. Your personality. How you view other people. How you speak. The way you are. How you dress. What accessories do you like. I love to read people to understand the nature of a person. Some are hard to understand while others are easy to browse through. All of this carries over into his or her creativity and self-expression. Everything is important and has meaning.

I have created a cocoon of beauty that surrounds my studio, home and family. I love colours and I love living in nature. I often paint the cycles of seasons. Each time I try to portray a certain process more clearly. That is my main challenge and focus. It never gets boring. I constantly see new things. I want everything around me to be beautiful, balanced and harmonious. I want to create from this state.

How would you define mastery?

Mastery is when your work is filled with passion and love. When you have a clear path that you are loyal to. I have said previously that you are like a bird that can rise higher than the critics and the ones who like to pluck the feathers. Remember to fly high.

Many people have told me that my paintings make them feel more joy whether they see them in their homes or in a gallery. Why should I create negative emotions through my art to make other people feel bad? I feel a mission and a battle between good and evil and that my role is to be a force of good in the army of light.’’