Interview

Jun 20

Richard Sikora

Richard has been intensively engaged in painting for about 3 years. He completed several courses in drawing and painting, and is currently completing an online course in oil painting.

He has found the experience of the online course very important, and it gives him the opportunity to exchange ideas with other artists.

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

“I’ve always been creative. In my ‘wild’ years, I played lead guitar in various bands. Years later, I rediscovered drawing, gave it up, then got back to it again, and I’ve been at it ever since.
I’m fascinated by experimenting with different media. You can learn a lot online and through courses these days, and that has helped me a lot.”

What inspires you?

“I’m inspired by everything and nothing. It can be a mood, feeling, memory, or encounter with people and/or situations. At other times it’s simply a ‘motive’ that jumps out at me during a walk.
The real inspiration comes over me when I paint because I can steer the composition of the picture in a different direction, be it with the colors, light, or even the motif itself.”

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

“My work doesn’t follow set themes as I don’t want to commit myself to specific topics, and I certainly don’t want to politicize. Instead, I prefer to follow my interest wherever it leads to me, to current or older topics alike. I don’t follow trends in art—I do what I want.”

How would you describe your work?

“That’s difficult to answer. A good friend once said that I manage to reduce motifs and moods to the essentials, and bring out the character. That sums it up quite well. If I’m honest, I don’t try and describe my work, leaving it to the viewer to define and finish painting the picture in their mind.”

Which artists influence you most?

“I’ll deliberately not name names. There are countless old masters that I think are good, but also a lot of modern artists. Every epoch, and almost every artist contributes to a greater whole.”

What is your creative process like?

“I begin by composing my picture and then move on to sketching it out. I think about the colors, the light, and the perspectives. This is a relatively stiff process and has a lot to do with consideration.
The creative process only begins when I pick up the paintbrush. I’m constantly considering whether I paint in layers like the old guys or alla prima.”

“I experience it again and again, that my pictures trigger discussions that are very stimulating. It’s not about me. It’s about the motif of the picture and its message. I find that very exciting.”

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

“I do think the artist plays an important role in society, be it visual artists, musicians, or any other form of artist. I think an artist’s level of impact has no relation to their fame or popularity. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that lesser-known artists, such as myself, make an important contribution in their smaller environment.”

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

“Since the beginning of this year, I’ve been part of the Artbox Projects. I had virtual pictures in New York and currently in Basel, and I’ll be in Zurich in the fall. Pictures are in my Facebook profile whose link is given below.”