“Ame” - “rain” in Japanese - for me it symbolises life, blessing and rebirth.
Welcome to Ame Home - the Home of Rain and its blessings.
About me
I grew up in the family of artists from my mums side and medics from my dad’s side. My Grandfather was a sculptor, jeweller and designer, my grandma - a ballet dancer, my mum is an architect and my brother - a TV producer. My father’s family were doctors and pharmacists. So from the early age I learnt the balance between both - creativity and structure - which, I believe, impacts my life and work until now.
I have started my official art journey at the Art Academy in Vilnius, Lithuania, where I gained Masters of Art degree.
After that I was working in advertising industry as Creative director, also studying at the Sumi-e (Japanese ink painting and calligraphy) school of D.Doksaite.
I moved to London in 2004, where I now live, create, work and teach.
My artistic style is heavily influenced by me being a mixture of European blood, a convert to Islamic faith and love for simplicity of Japanese aesthetics.
There’s something special in Japanese aesthetics - peace, sense of balance, ability to achieve more with less.
There is also something special in Islamic tradition - as one scholar said - it is like clear transparent pure water, reflecting and showing what it is flowing upon.
About my work
I mainly use watercolour, ink or oil to paint.
WATERCOLOUR.
In my watercolour paintings (I usually use professional grade paint by Daniel Smith, Winsor and Newton, Cass Art) - I follow the ancient Japanese method of Sumi-e painting - where the aim is to show the essence of the object, the impression (not the semblance), to do with less. The blank white unpainted space in the paper is as important as the painted one. It is left for each of our imaginations to continue "painting".
My watercolours are simple everyday objects - fruit, flowers, berries, vegetables. Something that gives us a light, grounded ease and simplicity in this complicated world!
I also paint sacred architecture - mosques and minarets that I have visited during my trips to Egypt and Turkey. Their history, majesty, presence and details continue to inspire me, and hopefully - you.
INK
My ink paintings - usually a larger scale, minimal, abstract and expressive. I enjoy the beauty of a brush stroke, and possibility to do it only once - the rice paper absorbs the ink and there is no second chance to “fix” or tamper. Even though abstract - they all carry an idea, and a story or feeling behind them.
Works are done using Japanese ink and rice paper, backed on mulberry paper.
OIL
Oil paintings are abstract and minimal. A memory, dream-like blended monochrome colours give the rest to the eye and the space around one. I use Michael Harding, Winsor and Newton, Cass Art oil paints and canvasses.