Interview

Written By Editorial Team

Herwig-Maria Stark

Herwig-Maria began training as a fashion designer in Vienna and completed it at the Accademia Italiana Moda in Florence/Italy. After a few successful years as a fashion and costume designer, he turned to the study of painting.

 

What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?

“I studied with Irina Nakhova, among others, and researched the techniques of the Old Masters with Ramiro Sanchez in Florence. My insights, coupled with personal experiences in foreign cultures, enriched and expanded my vision of art and shaped my unmistakable style.”

What inspires you?

“No matter where I go, stand, who or what I see – something always touches me, be it positive, pleasant or negative, unpleasant. I am very emphatic and feel a lot on the emotional level – so I can only work on the feeling and not on concepts that come from reason. People, situations, circumstances, movies, news, books, music, conversations and any emotion coming across inspire me again and again. ‘I see, observe, hear, notice, feel, think, stimulate, pass on, process,’ is my artistic credo.”

What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?

“People inspire me, especially what they feel and think – I am very interested in their personal inner life. In my paintings, I explore all facets of human existence – both inside and outside – and concentrate on the essence of my observations because of this research. I exclude the needless and want to bring the essence of everything to the surface. Recently, I started to overpaint partially artworks in Pink and created hence a so-called Pink Reality. This overpainting ‘hides’ partially the past in the sense of overcoming it. This Pink Reality tells of the longing for the realization of dreams and a future with improved living conditions. I created this fresh-looking perspective in a context shaped by profound changes and experiences in my life and the last years. These, my paintings convey the desire for friendly, positive colors, motifs and solutions - are visions of a better world and a harmonious existence and they want to make you feel good. So, I would say this is the underlying message now in my work – and I am not finished yet.”

How would you describe your work?

“My works are strong, colorful, indulgent, they tell you a new story every day, invite you to enter an exciting journey and adventure – provoke the challenge to deal with your own emotions - if you are open to interacting with them of course. My works and I are telling you stories. They shall offer you possibilities, give you valuable suggestions to see life in different ways. They want to give you courage and hope, the impulse to find the solution and an idea of and the inspiration to create a better life or simply a life you would like to live – they want to be your companion. They want to be seen, heard and be understood.”

Which artists influence you most?

“I do not feel influenced by a special artist. There are artists I admire for their techniques, visions, messages and style – of course here and there I get a stimulus or impulse after visiting an exhibition - in the end I follow my inner voice, not a trend or a must do or have just because they say so.”

“‘I see, observe, hear, notice, feel, think, stimulate, pass on, process,’ is my artistic credo.”

What is your creative process like?

“I always have a feeling, an idea of what it might be, of what I want to say – of course there are parameters I follow up like a certain color concept etc. – often I have a picture in my mind which is going to change a lot during the process of creation – it’s always a surprise in the end. Sometimes, I follow up a certain topic – but the essence of my work are emotions - always - this is, where my power is – and from there I can reach any person.”

What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?

“An artist is the link between the outer and the inner world, a link between here and there, spreading his messages in a language that many people can understand. The still existing freedom of art in some parts of our world allows the artist to thematize topics of any kind that are difficult to point up in another way. We can speak in a way that can reach an incredible big amount of people without speaking their mother tongue – but our emotions we can understand through all cultures, races, places - not matter where you live and stay right now – I can reach you with my artwork and tell you something. An artist shall inspire you, awake you, touch you, love you, respect you, show you, invite you.”

Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?

“My last exhibition Pink Reality in Vienna in 2024 is very noteworthy for me as it is a personal break through regarding style, technique and vision. It deals with overcoming the past, accepting what has been, but the past is the past and now is now and the future we don’t know. So, this exhibition was meant to give everyone courage and hope and show that there is a way into the future - a pleasant one – if you choose it. But remember that you always must work on yourself and develop your ability to receive - this ability to receive I call Grace. And it is here for every one of us.”

 
Editorial Team
Previous

Artist Profile
Next

Interview