Austria
What inspired your winning entry? It’s always a mixture of many influences. But my goal is always to inspire viewers to reflect on their own emotions.
How would you describe your style? I would describe my style as autonomic and figurative. I feel a strong affinity to the old masters, particularly when it comes to symbolism and the visionary. The source of my work can be traced back to my childhood, to mental scars and fears, but also to my desires, dreams, and hopes. The viewer has to search his or her innermost feelings in order to understand.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received? To be authentic in what you are doing and full of faith in how you are doing it.
If you weren’t an artist, what would you be? A musician. I studied the violoncello at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna before I changed to the master class for painting and graphics.
When you’re not painting, what do you enjoy doing? I am reading a lot of different genres. I am doing yoga as an important balance to painting. And not to forget hiking in nature—that’s very important and also an inspiration in my art.
How did you first get interested in art? Drawing was my favorite form of expression since childhood, even more than speaking. I preferred studying art encyclopedias for hours instead of playing with other children. Looking at paintings was more important to me than anything else—a world in which I found shelter.
What galleries represent your work? Kleine Galerie, Vienna, Austria; Beskidzka Galeria Sztuki, Szczyrk, Poland; Dom Galerie, Wiener Neustadt, Austria.
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