Artists Describing Their Art:
Igor Gorban - I do not intend to tell a story with my pieces, I only strive to create a complete work of art. I draw inspiration from traditional paintings which leads to my use of recognizable objects people, animals, landscapes, and so on. However, I do not endow any of these objects with their own individualized idiosyncrasies. The objects in my artwork may seem at first glance to be monotonous but that is not my purpose. I like to cast similar performers throughout my pieces so that they are not the focal point. The focus, instead, becomes the whole picture and not the characters. Twenty years ago, I took a different approach but this is the result I want now. Perhaps my style will change again in the future....
Dana Zivanovits - Dana Zivanovits was born in 1958 in Columbus, Ohio and received his art training from the Columbus College of Art and Design (1978 to 1982). After art school, he went abroad for a year and studied the art of the old masters in London, Paris, Madrid, Rome and Venice. Returning to his studio in Columbus to develop these influences into a new body of work, he then traveled to Mexico and studied the sculpture and painting of that country for an extended period. The unique and vivid colors of Palenque and Vera Cruz intensified his palette. After a period in Ohio, he then moved to Venice Beach, California where the brilliant light of the region reinforced his desire to capture effects of sunlight and atmosphere. Returning to Ohio in 1995, he has continued to paint themes deriving inspiration form sources such as world mythology, classic and B-grade cinema, literature and dreams. However his primary inspiration is direct observation from nature, versus an approach based in art theories or cultural critique. Dana has been widely represented by galleries and exhibition projects including Julie Rico and Mega Boom in Los Angeles, the Venice Art Detour, Around the Coyote Festival in Chicago ...