The painting "Monk Uno" was created in Cyprus during a period of reevaluating my life values. I opened myself to a new relationship, through which I began to discover my true self. I realized that the way I had been living—listening to others, trying to please them, and being "good" for everyone—was no longer working. I wanted to unlock my seemingly sealed energy, to give myself space to breathe in a world suffocated by rules and systems. I felt the energy of love permeating everything around me—the whole world. I felt divine love, peace, unity, and the interconnectedness of all things. This is how the first monk was born.
I decided to paint a portrait of a feeling—how trust, faith, and love can manifest in reality. Intuitively, I worked on this painting for over six months, pausing to exhale and sense where my next step should go. I searched for inspiration not in the material world, but in my inner perception of the surrounding reality.
This experiment extended not only to what I depicted but also how I did it. I sought to break free from the boundaries of a two-dimensional composition and decided to add texture with pastel strokes. I loved how it lay rich and vibrant yet effortlessly on top of the acrylic, revealing a multidimensional depth of color. This texture became one of the key elements of the painting, embodying in the monk the essence of acceptance, sensitivity, and softness.
This monk is the beginning of the visualization of my spiritual journey. It is an expression of my faith, my budding love, my courage, and my trust in the world.