012 ARUNAS VILKEVICIUS (Lituania)
“Your brush is like an optimistic mirror reflecting the beauty and lightness of life” – Thom Bierdz, President of American Art Awards
I am a self-taught furniture master and watercolour artist from Vilnius, Lithuania. I have never studied art. I obtained qualification of technician technologist in Vilnius College of Technologies and Design in 1986.
For 30 years, my main passion was furniture art. Watercolour I discovered only a few years ago, in 2016.
I create bespoke wooden furniture and décor elements in a variety of styles. However, my favourite style is Art Nouveau. The art of this epoch is inspired by nature with abundant references to trees, flowers, birds and by, at first glance, endlessly waving curved lines. Creation of unique and artistic furniture pieces allows me to employ my artistic skills, to unleash my creativity and my hyper-realistic nature as well as to express my gratitude to the creator.
When people ask me when I started painting, I would say – since I remember myself. During my childhood, I was immersing myself into the beauty surrounding me by reflecting it on canvas or paper. I used to pain with oil, pencils, ink. It was simply a childhood hobby…. Watercolour was a medium I never felt comfortable with; I did not like it. It was too unpredictable for me…. I was not yet ready for its challenges.
For the last 30 years, painting for me has been only a random activity; I focused on creating and making unique furniture and décor elements.
However, things happen in life for a reason! I strongly believe that my ability to stop and listen to the messages certain events that happened in my life were sending me, helped me to discover watercolour, a medium that used to be a mystery to me. I felt the urge to undertake its challenges, to explore its endless possibilities and at the same time to learn how to master its sensitivity and process of creation in which this medium leaves very little room for mistakes, inaccuracy and at the same time has no boundaries for self-expression and lightness.
It has been only a few years since watercolour became my companion, my passion and self-expression beside creation of bespoke furniture. I believe that this is just the beginning of my new life path engraved with passion, determination, desire to learn and experiment, fearlessness to fail and start all over again. I feel so privileged to walk the path where perfection does not exist….
I am very honoured to be selected to participate in V INTERNATIONAL NEW TECHNIQUES, CONCEPTS AND DEVELOPMENTS IN WATERCOLOR BIENNIAL 2019 in Caudete (Spain) with my watercolour painting “Bali…The moment of Joy…”
My achievements:
- Personal solo exhibition in Vilnius, Gallery Skizze – March 2017
- 2018 GAWA International Watercolour Online Contest – Special Recognition’ award with «Luna», watercolour on paper 42 x 28 cm
- 2018 American Art Awards: Category 3 Watercolour Human Nature – 4th place with «Rita», watercolour on paper 51 x 30 cm and 6th place with «Melka», watercolour on paper 53 x 33 cm Category 35 Realism Landscapes – 3rd place with «Water stones», watercolour on paper 66 x 43 cm
- ABU RAWASH PRIZE 2nd International Watercolour Contest 2018 – Appreciation award with «Water stones», watercolour on paper 66 x 43 cm
- Fabriano in Acquarello 2019 participant selected for Itinerant exhibition with “Autumn symphony”, watercolour on paper 56 x 38 cm
- GAWA Annual International Watercolour Online Contest – 2019 – winning ‘Among Best 50’ e-certificate award – “Bali…the Moment of Joy…”, watercolour on paper 56 cmx 38 cm
- The 1st International Watercolour Exhibition and Festival IWS Finland 2019 – The Second Excellent Work Award – “Water stones” watercolour on paper 66 x 43 cm
- Jumbish International Online Horse Art Competition 2019 – Grand Winner with “Aristocrat”, watercolour on paper 40 x 40 cm
- 14th International ARC Salon Competition – Finalist in Imaginative Realism Category with “Rasa…The Moment…”, watercolour on paper, 31 x 48 cm
- 1st International watercolour online contest IWS Sare gallery Moscow– Bronze medal winner with “Whispers of spring” 26 x 33 cm
IR A ARTISTAS SELECCIONADOS V BIENAL 2019