ARTIST STATEMENT
For me, painting is living. I paint because I can't be without this, because in the process of creation I can't hide; I owe myself to be true with me and the others. That is why, when I work everything becomes very intense. Is just me and my work. The world outside doesn't matter anymore. I paint a lot, every day, exactly as if I went to a job. For me, painting is not just a passion.
It's a pledge for life. Is the responsibility that I assume every day and witch I don't renounce whatever happens in my life. It is my blessing and my curse. It is my calling.
With every new project I improve my technical execution, the way I see the things around me, the way I interact with my work, but also with the observers. I like challenges, that is why, with every work, I try to exceed the level of earlier works, as a concept and also as technique.
Despite this thing, every work has her clear part in my artistic evolution.
When I conceive a project, I like it to be clearly structured, concise and well
documented. I do a lot of sketches, in various techniques, from colored pencils to pen, to define better the project and to cut off what is extra in my concept. I envision the way I want my painting to be, before even the painting exists; I also take in consideration the element of surprise that leads the artist.
Now, I work a lot with acrylic with medium on canvas because of the easiness one can model the paste and it's capacity to keep the excellent effects of the painting.
The themes I chose aim specially the human being. I love to explore the complexity that hides in the inner of each individual, to discover myself through others, but also through myself. I like the whole process of introspection that generates working with the human being. Like the masters of ancient times I like to work with symbols to provoke my observers.
This year, I work at a project called “Angels, wings and glass”. This is a project that studies the 12 archangels from the myths and legends of various religions. Each archangel will have different attributes that will show the function of these celestial beings.
The chosen technique is acrylic on sizable canvas. The challenge of this project is in his duration of two years, but also in the change of the canvas dimension – they get bigger – and in the different way that materiality is approached each stage.
Elena Andrei, Bucharest
Romania
September 2009
