Portraits in Bloom.
I started this series in search of freedom. I wanted to do something completely abstract, and I was excited by the
idea because I was working on two realistic portrait commissions that required
precision and adherence to reality. This shift in approach—something I had
experienced before—felt stimulating and fun, so I happily jumped into the first
painting.
I worked for several days on a large
canvas—about 200 x 100 cm—and, little by little, amidst the abstraction,
references to nature began to emerge: the colours of almond trees in bloom, a
vibrant and dynamic energy. It didn’t take long before I couldn’t resist what
the canvas was asking of me: "Draw a giant flower... come on, don’t
hold back."
Spring was just beginning, and all the
beauty I saw around me—in the garden, on my walks—encouraged me: "Go
for it."
In search of freedom, I entered into an
internal dialogue in which I chose not to interfere. I let my intuition guide
the way. I remained silent, listened, acted, sometimes did nothing, corrected
when I felt it was needed... and surrendered to the process. I kicked my inner
critic out of the room. If it came back in, I would listen—but then move
forward with what I believed was right. Inner wisdom took over, and the magic
happened.
The beauty of flowers—their exuberance,
their power, and their energy—were, deep down, just excuses. Excuses to create,
to listen to myself, and to trust.
This series called “Portraits
in Bloom” consists
of eight paintings made with acrylic and oil on canvas.
