We interview artist Cristian Blei from Bucharest, Romania.
Please describe your artwork style
I could not say exactly in what style I can possibly fit, maybe into an esoteric abstract.
What’s your background?
I come from a family of visual artists, I started drawing and painting at the age of 3 years.
I attended an art high school, then i graduated from the Art Academy from Bucharest in 1998.
How long have you been an artist?
For 22 years.
Who or what are your biggest influences?
I could say that my influences are quite many and different and change with the passage of time.
But the earliest influences from painting were from Caravagio, the school of small Dutch Masters, Hieronymus Bosch and Salvador Dali.
How have you developed your career?
First through a continual struggle to overcome myself, to be better than yesterday, and of course through various exhibitions, participation in group and online exhibitions and through private collections .
Which current art world trends are you following?
For now, no one, I'm trying to preserve my originality to make something new, something different, something unique.
Where do you do your work?
In my studio.
What do you feel is the role of the artist in society?
Eistein said:
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science."
And it is said that "the artist represents the eyes of the fortress" being a very fine observer of the things that escape the eyes of others.
Through his eyes and his heart he can see beauty and harmonious relationships in everything and everywhere.
His role is to reveal to others in his artistic vision and impressions, surprising and delighting the soul of those around him.
For his art to always be true it must be an expression of his love and passion.
What technique/s / mediums do you use?
I mainly paint with oil on canvas, sometimes with chalk pastel or watercolour on paper .
Which is more important to you, the subject of your painting, or the way it is executed?
I think its going hand in hand, equally .
But the whole process is very important to me, with all the steps from the beginning till the end.
How do you feel when you are letting your emotions loose on the canvas?
It is a feeling of maximum delight when things go by themselves and inspiration is felt at all stages of the work, losing myself all the way in the process.
But the opposite is true when for a certain reason, the work does not want to be created.
Where do you find your ideas for your work?
Mostly from my mind in tandem with what I feel, or from my dreams.
Is there an artwork you are most proud of?Why?
Yes there are three old works that I think I did in a state of grace and that I would not sell them ever.
In a way I am proud of every painting I make because it represents a step forward towards a better evolution of mine as an artist.
But I am also very critical of myself and often break or destroy certain works that I do not like.
I try to learn from my mistakes as much as possible.
How do you know when a work is finished?
It is a certain feeling that I have when I consider that the visual image is precisely my mental vision as well as the rational part that tells me that there is no need for any stroke of a paint brush.
What is your most important artist tool? Is there something you can’t live without in your studio?
My imagination!
I couldn't give up at music when I paint.
Is there an element of art you enjoy working with most? Why?
The shape and colours represents two strongly suggestive elements which fascinates me for a long time alongside movement and sound that unfortunately operate on another media much powerful than the two-dimensional plane of the painting canvas.
To see more of Cristian's work see: cristianblei.com