A story of large formats...

My main work is icon painting and miniatures. I often indulge in graphics, which is actually my first love in art. But that is another story... There is another, in my opinion, important direction that interests me. That is painting with oil, in combination with pigments, paintings in large formats. Of course, true masters of large format could argue with me about the term "large format". For me - a miniaturist, an artist who thinks best in small forms, one meter is already a large format!

What am I searching for? I am interested in the interaction of oil paint with pigment in one plane. This is nothing new in art. Artists have been working for a long time, combining different techniques and materials. I am interested in exactly the point, what expanses that I have not yet known can I reach in order to express, sometimes shout out my thought? A very important moment in icon painting is silence, peace, maximum concentration on the main message that I, as an artist, must achieve in my work. All this is achieved with the symbolism of color and the character of the line, the "sound" of the icon, drawing parallels with music - this is already the individual touch of each artist. I try to solve this question of "sound" in large areas with color. Am I able to achieve maximum concentration on the main thing with just the tone of the color, without the details, the power of the message, the depth? Am I able to achieve the silence that is so important in icons? That is why I paint the big canvases - this is my search, these are my questions and also, probably, the answers.

The work "Land of the Rising Sun" is a story of hope. A story in the language of symbols. When I studying iconography, one of the most important knowledge is color symbolism. That is why icons are called the Gospel in colors. Each shade has its own symbolism. The structuring of the work - the order in which the icon is painted, first and last - also has a symbolic meaning. Following this structure, I also paint the large canvases - the order in which they are painted is an important part of the story. As in nature and in human life, everything happens sequentially. The first shade I applied was white. In several layers, mixing with grey and blue, approaching a smoky white. Why? White has the same meaning in icon painting as gold - it is the Divine light. In this light I saw a red sun gradually appearing before us through the smoky white until it culminated in the center. The color red has a very special emotional code, it is a symbol of both suffering and power. The most powerful color that stimulates thought. Next to it is a small black circle. It is a small planet that orbits the red sun and accumulates all the weight of the soul that balances our lives. It can also be a black hole that can swallow the big red sun at some point...There will always be something that can swallow hope. There is a small blue area next to it. Water? Yes, water is the basis of life. Perhaps its presence will prevent the sun from disappearing? Surrounded by Divine, white light, this process of hope and despair takes place. As a plus and a minus...

As always, I leave "space" for you, the audience, to see your own answers in this painting. Once I have had a conversation with a visitor to my solo exhibition about how one my work moved her to tears. And I heard a wonderful story about my work what the person had "read". It is that fragile, intangible dialogue between the artist and the audience.

In several works, I address these questions also: READ HERE!   ALSO HERE!"Land of the Rising Sun". Oil, pigments on canvas. 1,20x1m. 2022.

With this work I participate in the annual visual art exhibition "Art Days 2023" in the Union of Latvian Artists. Info: HERE!

The education I received in art, icon painting and, therefore, in theology opens up wide opportunities for me to ask questions, to go in search of both the Divine and human dimensions...

And it is exciting!