Arunas Vilkevicius

I am a self-taught furniture master and watercolour artist from Vilnius, Lithuania. I am so privileged and grateful that there was no day in my life that I would not feel like working - my work is my hobby and my passion, I look forward to every day to dawn.  

 

For 30 year my main passion was furniture art. Watercolour I re-discovered only a few years ago, in 2016.

 

Although I produce classic wooden furniture and décor elements in a variety of styles, my favourite epoch is Art Nouveau dating back to the last years of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The art of this epoch is inspired by nature with abundant references to trees, flowers, birds and by, at first glance, endlessly waving curved lines. Creation of unique and artistic furniture pieces allows me to employ my drawing skills, my hyper-realistic nature as well as to express my gratitude to the creator. 

 

When people ask me when I started painting, I would say – since I remember myself. This was my childhood hobby. I was born with a desire to paint – desire to paint and depict the objects and landscapes surrounding me. It has been my passion since I remember myself. Since my childhood, I was immersing myself into the beauty surrounding me by reflecting it on canvas or paper. I used to pain with oil, pencils, ink. Watercolour was a medium I never felt comfortable with; it was a medium I did not enjoy working with. It was too unpredictable for me.... I was not yet ready for its challenges. 

 

For the last 30 years,  painting for me has been only a random activity; I focused on making furniture as this was the main income source. 

 

But things happen in life for a reason! I strongly believe, that my ability to stop and listen to the message these events were sending me, helped me to re-discover watercolour, a medium that used to be a mystery to me. I felt the urge to undertake its challenges, to explore its endless possibilities and at the same time to learn how to master its sensitivity and process of creation in which this medium leaves very little room for mistakes, inaccuracy. It has been only a few years since watercolour became my companion, my passion and self-expression in addition to my main occupation of craftsmanship in furniture. I believe that this is just the beginning of my new life path engraved with passion, determination, desire to learn and experiment, fearlessness to fail and start all over again. I feel so privileged to walk the path where perfection does not exist…. 

* This statement has been provided directly by the artist in association to their 14^th International ARC Salon entries. This content has not been edited for typos or grammatical errors and has not been vetted for accuracy.