Growing up in communist Romania, my artistic journey began with an act of childish vandalism - adding toothpaste flowers to my parents' only painting in our home. Little did I know this would foreshadow a lifelong passion for putting my own spin on things.

The Romanian revolution opened new doors, and I eagerly walked through them - right into a corporate career that took me globe-trotting. I picked up a paintbrush, determined to balance my binary corporate world with some analog color.

Oil on canvas became my playground, where I gleefully blend representation and abstraction into expressive works. Every painting is an adventure - part technical study, part spiritual journey. My visible brushstrokes and vivid palette are a joyful rebellion against convention.

The second chapter of my canvas odyssey begins when the paint dries. Finding the right frame, name, and presentation is like playing a matchmaker between my art and its future soulmate. Knowing my paintings are starting new lives across the country, perhaps sparking conversations or offering comfort in their new homes, is a tremendous joy.

Looking back, I've come a long way from that toothpaste-wielding child. Now, I have the art supplies to play with as I shape my artistic voice, blending influences from Impressionism and masters like J. Sorolla, F. Coburn, C. Brâncuși, and S. Bogart. Each stroke is a step in my ongoing journey to master value, color, and composition while dancing to my artistic rhythm.

Oana G.