Exquisite Arts Magazine Vol 1 - July/ August 2016 | Page 25

Page 25
color and I for one , love drama . It ’ s also the color of love , so how more dramatic can you get ? I also use a lot of white , although many people wouldn ’ t think so . I keep buying new tubes of white paint .
Aside from painting , do you have any other talents or passions ? If so , what are they ?
Yes , many ! People often say I ’ m juggling too many things at once to be defined as a painter . I paint , but I also teach , make music , do collage art and write . Doing so many things can be distracting and sometimes I feel like I just need to focus on the painting , but then again , I love a bit of variety .
How long have you been an artist ? What is your artistic background ?
I started painting in my late teens after seeing an exhibition of Picasso ’ s work . The exhibition showed works from his Paris years and I just loved it . It ’ s like magic when you ’ re standing right in front of his paintings . I immediately felt like I had seen something very special . My first exhibition opened in the beginning of 2014 , so it hasn ’ t been very long .
What do you love about being an artist ?
I love to do as many different things as possible . I ’ m easily bored so I always try to do new things . My mind is working 24 hours a day ; I never stop thinking about what my next ‘ project ’ is going to be . Being an artist means I can create new and exciting things .
What are your favorite colors ? Do specific colours play a significant role in your artistry ?
I really love different shades of red . I have used a lot of red in my works . I think that red is a very dramatic
Your paintings are a unique mixture of classical portraits and modern abstraction . Where did the inspiration to create this type of work come from ?
There are two artists that have been a big influence . The first one , I already mentioned is Picasso . The second one is Francis Bacon . I also really like the self-portraits of Vincent van Gogh .
Has your artistic style changed over time ? If so , how ? I think my paintings became a bit brighter over time . I think that ’ s the biggest change .
Are there special techniques that goes into creating such amazing artwork ?
I don ’ t really have a special technique . I wish I had , so I ’ d know what I had to do to make a painting work . The truth is , I make a lot of paintings and a lot of them end up in the garbage . Only a small collection of my paintings are kept and exhibited ( the ones that I think are good enough ). I wish more people would work this way . It is unbelievable how much crap there is that ’ s labeled as “ art .” I ’ ve seen dog poop more beautiful than some paintings in a museum .
Not only has your work been selected as the Best of Show winner for IGOA ’ s Abstract Art Contest but you have had a lot of success . You were nominated for a Palm Art award and you ’ ve been internationally published in magazines