I have always been inspired by the paintings of Van Gogh because of the beauty of nature, the paintings of Rembrandt because of the interplay of light and shadow, the paintings of Monet, because of the fantasy of colours. Visiting museums from Vienna to Bilbao, from Amsterdam to Florence, or Rome to London, each time it allows new inspirations to ripened in me.
It is one thing to admire the stories written by our European famous paintings, yet to go into the National Gallery of Slovenia in order to learn how to paint oneself is a completely different experience. Attempting to make art ourselves requires so much bravery, it is an unknown and at the same time attractive field. Those of us who survived the communist regime still know the voices of that time around learning: just listen, don’t comment, there is only one truth, follow the prescribed models, there is no freedom of creation. And drawing? – that’s not for you…..
Even without the experience of a strict regime entering the creative world of art is so much more difficult because deep inside there are voices saying: ‘You don’t know this. Stick to what you know. This is not for you.’
Self-expression through drawing is, at least for me, something completely different from expression through speech. It is much harder, more emotional and in a way more sophisticated. What keeps me there however is that in life it is worth trying unknown areas. In a sense Art and Politics are both about change and they have always been connected. Centuries ago, a painting was the only visual historical source, usually painted with the eyes of the victor when it came to war.
So creating, not just observing, is an important part of lifelong learning that feeds the beauty of curiosity and gives inspiration for new creations. From the initial basic steps of learning colour shades and the skill of applying them to the canvas, working on a drawing becomes a pleasure and a meditation at the same time. The drawing draws the creator into the story, which is drawn step by step on the canvas. In the past I wrote books, among other things, but now I draw stories instead of writing them. And the narratives are not smaller. To draw the home of a friend’s ancestors, surrounded as it was at that time by a meadow and horses, with a blooming lime tree in front of the house and children playing in the yard encapsulates more than one life, more than one time.
Under the guidance of the internationally renowned painter Niko Arnikis, I created, among other things, a portrait of a boy based on Rembrandt’s motifs, which I am attaching, based on a living model. Technique oil on canvas, 297x420mm. The painting was also part of the exhibition in the National Gallery of Slovenia.
In its own way, drawing this portrait convinced me that I can do something completely new, something different. In life, we seek and strive for beauty, the beauty of nature, the beauty of friendship, the beauty of kindness and solidarity towards people. There are many beauties in life that we have our own influence on, and to keep on adding to those by embracing life-long learning, regardless of our age and regardless of our past career in both business and politics. The beauty of art is reflected in a life that is one of lifelong learning. From my own experience, I say that it is worth a try.
