My Journey Begins – A Path Shaped by Choice or Chance
The life-changing moment that brought me where I am today occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic. I had left Dubai and my construction business just before the pandemic broke and was taking a break in Serbia, planning to move on to Africa after a while to pursue a construction business there. However, life had different plans for me. The borders were still largely closed, and I realized that my search for jobs in Africa would have to be put on hold until the borders reopened.
Finding Freedom in a Lockdown
At the very beginning of the pandemic, trapped within the four walls of my Novi Sad apartment, I felt an urge to create in order to transcend the limitations of the physical space. I turned my place into art lab and this is when the first four paintings from the series “Journey to the Top” came to be, portraying my friend Dolores’ journey to Mount Everest. Except I didn’t call it that, there was no master plan to create a series. It was just about letting loose on canvas because this is something I love to do.
Usually around this time of year, I’d be camping on the Danube with friends. We were looking to escape the city’s weekend quarantines and relax in nature as we do every summer, so we began planning our camping trip. However, our plans took a turn and instead of the usual spot, we found ourselves at a unique location to start the summer — Koh Chang island on the Danube.
I brought along canvases and paints, looking forward to some relaxed painting in nature. To my delight, others began to gather around and join me. We painted, side by side, a cheerful blend of friends and strangers. That summer of 2020 unfolded as a magnificent masterpiece and turned as one of the most unforgettable summers of my life.
A Plot Twist: Trading Construction for Art
By the end of the summer season my life took a major plot twist. I met my now wife at Koh Chang on Danube, dropped the plan to go to Africa and eventually moved to Belgrade. Towards the end of the year I started a construction business in Serbia but eventually dropped that, too, and realized I was fed up with the construction and needed a change. It felt like before me stretched a blank canvas of life, and there I stood, pondering which strokes to paint upon it. Then it struck me—I want to continue painting, to create art in life! I want it to be meaningful, engaging, vibrant, and bursting with life and colour! And so, here I am – telling you about my transformative artistic journey.
When I decided to do a series Journey to the Top, depicting Dolores’ experience and the mountains of my childhood on canvas, I wanted these works to hold significance, to portray courage, persistence, strength, and an unyielding love for life and the nature.
Art can inspire, right? Through art, we can capture and share stories that empower and uplift us to scale our own Everests. The allure of scaling mountains and pushing ourselves to the limit stems from our innate desire to triumph over nature’s adversity and that is to triumph in life. It is a testament to our resilience, courage, and unwavering spirit.
So, here’s an invite: dive into this transformative artistic journey with me! Join me in conquering the metaphorical and literal mountains that stand in our path. Let us revel in the beauty of nature, acknowledging its capacity to both challenge and inspire us.
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