By grabbing the momentum of the beginning of the year, I wanted to create a contemporary painting, a figurative artwork in which I reflect on the current events and the reality around us. I set the bar a little higher than that, because I was thinking not only in a fresh and more modern style, but also in human figure … and this is notoriously not one of the simplest jumps. But I ran at it … The finished painting (Eve of the 21st Century, 50×40 cm, acrylic on canvas) shows several challenges that are also present in my own life.

The situation is not like in the Paradise lately. The peace, abundance, and freedom of the Garden of Eden are lacking in our lives. We chose knowledge above everything else. All the data and information of the world is at our disposal, the “Apple” is ours and we consume it regularly, but are we happier with it? What are the costs and consequences of knowledge? Is this constant flow of information rushing through us really empowering us? Are we taking advantage of this opportunity that is available at any time or are we abusing it?

EVEs, who we are (with Adam – I’m with Gyula – or just “adamless”) are trying to thrive and long for the Garden of Eden, for a nest that is as loving and peaceful as home from which our Life started. And the reality is that sometimes you have to pay a great price for this: a lifetime loan / having more children than you can manage / marriage of convenience and we could list … and that we deserved it all for a fraction of apples, I doubt. Let’s just say I would have had a hard time cheating on an apple … somehow that’s not my favourite fruit. What is certain that the weight of our decisions always weighs on our shoulders, overshadowing the joy of nesting.

On top of that, the year 2019 brought a special test to all of us. A years-long challenge that questions our relationships, tests our strength and perseverance, upsets our balance, makes our daily lives precarious and unpredictable. And we, exposed to the power of the outside world, in a sea of ​​news and false news, information and disinformation, cover ourselves and our vulnerability with a mask.

Ideally the references in the painting will make you think and raise questions about these topics. But not only the pictorial elements serve this purpose, but also the colours I used. The concept of intellect and knowledge can be linked to the most luminous colour: yellow. While blue makes you turn inward and connects to faith. Usually when the colour blue appears on a yellow background, the yellow suppresses the blue, so the intellect becomes dominant. Yet I counterbalanced this damping power of yellow with the quantitative dominance of the blue because I wanted to emphasize hope much more. And if we look at the mixture of yellow and blue, it will turn green, in this mixture knowledge and faith unite, and a feeling of not being alone, hope and serenity are born. Because no matter how difficult life and a particular situation may seem, we must not give up hope that sooner or later everything will fall into place and we can enjoy everyday life freely and healthily again.

A Eve of the 21st Century bejegyzés először evigardonyi-én jelent meg.

Encouraged by this, I decided to move myself a bit out of my comfort zone this year and try to persuade myself to create more in this style as well. Of course, it doesn’t go overnight, but I think I can learn a lot in the process and improve a lot through the exercises.

As part of this process the Forgotten Land was born, that was made on a 60×40 cm canvas. Although the theme remained the landscape, I tried to apply less elaborate brush strokes. Compared to my work so far, I have tried to focus on shapes and colours rather than details. I often used a palette knife to enhance the “looseness” and I mixed some colours with an acrylic thickening medium to emphasis the shapes to leave a sufficiently full-bodied, clearly visible mark with the brush.

So the process started. It’s a small step for humanity, but a huge leap for me.

A Forgotten Land bejegyzés először evigardonyi-én jelent meg.

My first painting of 2021 inspired by Duncan Rostron (@gravellyshores) who captured a wonderful moment in Little Langdale.

I totally fell in love with the colours of his photo, and I was also impressed by its fresh greens, the warm yellows and by the reflections of the hills… and yes, I know that I have a little fetish or worship for reflections, but honestly these are photos taken by Mother Nature of her own beauty. And that self-confidence can only be loved, right?

For this painting I chose a 30×30 cm canvas, because I wanted to strengthen the calmness and harmony radiated by the landscape with the symmetry of the square shape. I started with impasto technique, so I applied the paint thickly to the canvas (you can see it at the clouds). At that time, I was still convinced that I was going to paint an abstract artwork … because I couldn’t lie to myself, I ended up working out the small details using several thinner layers of paint. I hope you don’t mind!?

A Eternally Greens bejegyzés először evigardonyi-én jelent meg.

But let’s get back to the painting! Not only love but also the element of earth, water, air and fire was included in it. The latter is reflected in the play of bright autumn colours. I tried to capture the simple beauty and power of the landscape. I emphasized the contrast between closeness and distance, life and passing with the palette knife technique that appears in addition to the detailed elaboration.

The theme seemed so easy at the beginning, but I was so nervy when the painting was finished that the resulting image would meet the customer’s ideas. Perhaps this is the hardest part of all, to see throught the eyes of others, to capture and project the feelings and experiences of others. However, the realization won the liking of the lovers, and not just because they still see the world through pink fog … although they will like it even more in the future, because the painting looks much better in its original colours. What is certain, and thank you again for the trust, I was able to capture an important moment for them, which is closely reminiscent over and over again of a turning point in their life together on the wall of their bedroom.

A Lake Hámori bejegyzés először evigardonyi-én jelent meg.

We didn’t know that the danger that threatened would disappear. Maybe everyone rejoiced in doubt. But every day there was something small that gave strength. Every week there was someone whose voice on the phone raised the bitter anticipation. There was a goal that gave us hope in these sad days to move on. We hoped to be together again with those we love soon to reconnect in cloudless happiness.

The painting depicts these gray days. The clouds that obscured the colours of life from us. The beauty of the landscape and nature remained even then, only we saw it through gray glasses. But as we waited inside for the storm to recede, the blue of the sky and hope was all there for us to know, the time would come when the golden rays of the sun would kiss us back and forth again.

A The sky above the clouds is always blue bejegyzés először evigardonyi-én jelent meg.

Why the abstracts?

Based on the images you like the most, you seem to love colours, Nature, and pastose painting. The phrase means creating with a thickly applied layer of paint, which can conjure a truly special and unique texture for a painting. The easiest way to apply these paint layers is to use palette knife, which results in this good little plastic effect. I don’t think I’m going to reveal a big secret when I say I love this technique too. I think now you too will easily discover it in several of my abstract paintings.

Going back to the original theme, I fully understand why you love these artworks, since we really need colours in the monotonous everyday life. We can cheer up not only our surroundings or a room with an abstract painting, but we can also influence our own mood with its colours. In addition, we long and miss the closeness of Nature, we like to recharge by looking at a photo / painting that evokes summer moments. Especially if it is made in a different way or technique than usual.

Abstract images typically represent reality in a different way than usual. And my abstracts display it recognisably in most cases. I prefer paintings in which it is easy to discover the theme that inspired it or what it wants to display. I like if the painting’s mood enchants me, influences my emotions with its colours, but I also like if it let me understand it to some level. There is a kind of need in me (and in my experience probably also in you) to lead us to the border of figurative reality and the abstract. But still few dare to go. Maybe I don’t dare cross that line with my paintings either. I like to immerse myself in art, I want the abstract and the elusive, but I like to do it all so that at any moment I can return to the usual, well-proven patterns, the reality of comfort. My abstract images mostly lead you to this limit.

For you to know, you are safe here too!

A Why are abstract paintings lovable? bejegyzés először evigardonyi-én jelent meg.

This heavenly Ice Cream Cake painting was made in early July, which I painted on a 40×40 cm black canvas. The original image on which the painting is based was enchanting, and I trusted that you would like it too. The cake is vegan anyway, which is a special pleasure for me, although I admit I didn’t try the recipe itself. For several weeks while I was painting I was fighting my hunger watching these little chubby blueberries, which by the way are my favourite fruit. My cake paintings are guaranteed to be guilt-free, at least viewable without guilt. However, I do not take responsibility for the consequences they cause …

A Cold enjoyment in the summer bejegyzés először evigardonyi-én jelent meg.