Misi (oil on canvas 30cm x 50cm)

I thought I share with you here my latest, finished but still unframed painting. Although this portrait I painted for a commission, I enjoyed painting it so much that it felt like creating a personal work. Since I did not know my subject I asked my client to describe him a bit for me before we met. I hope his gentleness, kindness and purity comes through.

Follow the White Rabbit

This is an illustration (charcoal on paper, 70cm x 50cm), that I made for Fehér Nyúl antikvárium és kultúrkávézó (White Rabbit Art Cafe and Second Hand Book Store),  Budapest. My brief said, that I should create a large size image depicting a white rabbit holding books, and the illustration should look like as if it was taken from some old, mono-chrome children’s book.  I was asked to try out various clothing on the rabbit including a monk’s gown with hood and to see which one would work best. I made several sketches, of which I am showing a few here below the illustration. My monk rabbits turned out to be a bit sinister looking (I suppose, it was because I kept thinking of the Jesuits, while I was drawing), so finally one of the more benevolent-looking rabbits was chosen for the finished illustration.

Camille Claudel by Gaël Le Cornec

Here is the latest poster, that I have created for the Footprint Project.

The award-winning team behind the sell-out show Frida Kahlo: Viva La Vida! returns to the Edinburgh Fringe with a humorous and moving world premiere of Camille Claudel.  The new one woman show written, directed and played by Gaël Le Cornec focuses on the life of another incredible woman artist. The heartbreaking story of Camille Claudel, the talented sculptor, Rodin's disciple and lover, is captured with passion, love and humor.  

Camille Claudel plays at Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh (60, Pleasance EH8 9TJ - venue33) from August 1st – 27th 2012 (except Tuesdays). For more information and tickets, please call 0131 556 6550 or visit www.pleasance.co.uk.

Granny Gizi and the 151st Annual Exhibition of the Society of Women Artists

I am very happy to post here a photo of my latest piece of work: Granny Gizi (oil on canvas, 36cm x 48cm), which has been selected for the 151^st Annual Exhibition of the Society of Women Artists. The exhibition will be held at the prestigious Mall Galleries in London between June 28, 2012 and July 7, 2012.

Granny Gizi is a portrait of a lovely, elderly lady I look on as one of my grandmas, although we are not actually related. She has had a tough life. She fought serious illness and poverty and was deported from her homeland in Slovakia after World War II. Yet through it all she has always been full of love and compassion. She is a beautiful soul, and I love her dearly.

The last days of Gilda

Here is the poster I designed for The last days of Gilda. It is comic tale of food, sex and survival that will be performed by the talented Gaël Le Cornec at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year from the 4th until the 28th August.

In a shantytown in Rio de Janeiro, amongst chickens and pigs, Gilda cooks, dreaming of love and Hollywood stardom. Men are spellbound, women furious, but Gilda is more dangerous and more generous than they can possibly imagine.

The Annual Exhibition of the ROYAL INSTITUTE OF OIL PAINTERS 2010 & Images 35 the Best of British Contemporary Illustration 2011

I haven’t posted anything on this blog for a long time, but I now have some good news to share.

Firstly, my last painting of Antarma (which I posted here in May, now finished and framed) was accepted for 123rd Annual Exhibition of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters held at the Mall Galleries, The Mall, London, SW1 between December 8 and December 19, 2010.  I am very happy about this, since my work was selected from over 700 entries and will appear alongside works by some of Britain’s leading artists.  The Royal Institute of Oil Painters was founded in 1882 and Walter Sickert and Auguste Rodin are amongst their past exhibitors.  The Private View of the Exhibition is between 2pm to 8pm December 7, 2010. Official opening is at 3.30 pm by Commendatore Antonio Carluccio OBE.  Hope to see you all there!

Secondly, I would like to let you know that one of my illustrations (the book cover for Of Love and Other Demons by Gabriel Garcia Marquez) was selected for Images 35 - the best of British Illustration 2011. Images is Britain's only jury-selected, annual illustration competition, judged by a highly regarded panel of industry experts and curated into a beautiful hardback book published by the Association of Illustrators. Images 35 will be available in all major bookshops in 2011 and distributed to over 4000 commissioners and curators of illustration.
Thanks all for reading and have a great weekend!

Antarma in Oil - work-in-progress

I have been inspired by Renaissance portrait drawings and by the works of the Pre-Raphaelites especially by John Everett Millais to paint this portrait of my brother Antarma aka Antarmaggedonassassin. I still have a bit more work to do on the background, on the eyes and the beard but it is close to be finished.