Just finished uploading many of my paintings to the print place.
I hope you enjoy these!
I’ve made postcards, prints, even masks…
They are all based on the paintings from my collection Immensities that is coming to end of a sold out solo show in central Brussels, Belgium.
Last day of my solo show at Art Base gallery! I’ll be there between 2-6pm today. Address: Rue des Sables 29, Brussels 1000.
Here are some of the paintings profiled on the biggest weekend morning show in Greece (w English subtitles).
The lockdown made me forget just how serendipitous human interaction truly can be.
So many new and old friends have been able to reconnect in real life, in real time, in this real art show.
Post-pandemic life feels really special. Human interactions are more precious.
Yesterday, separately, two incredible women came into the gallery and I had the powerful feeling we have always been firm friends and will continue to grow and thrive in each other’s company.
One was photographer Corinna Robertson-Liersch whose parallel and mirroring existence as a glowing parent/artist/multilingual professional made me feel like shouting “HERE YOU ARE!” and the other was creative entrepreneur Vik Toria who also gave me goosebumps by identifying all the invisible threads woven into my paintings and sitting down to play “Nostalgia” to my art based on memory… I felt both seen and FOUND.
The pandemic made me forget how soul enriching new encounters can be, filled with possibility and meaning and I woke up grinning today.
I’m sure there’s a joke in there somewhere. Two rainbow unicorns walk through a pandemic into an art gallery… The colourful artist feels she’s always known but asks for the first time anyway… “Who are YOU?”…
Paintings in the video are from the IMMENSITIES collection on show at Art Base until Oct 10th 2020.
Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
I’m both delighted and sad my painting of the bluebell forest at Hallerbos was sold.
Being an artist is a labour of love and I went into labour after doing the initial sketches for this exact painting four years ago!
Technically it took all the years of my child’s life to complete the artistic vision I had that day in the forest.
And Tova Niovi just looked at this photo & said: “You had long hair when I was born and I had short hair then and now you have short hair and I have long hair; I could be YOUR mummy now.”
That’s not how time works, sweetie. But who am I to speak: I measure it in paintings. . .
“Hallerbos, Belgium” from the IMMENSITIES collection on show at Art Base until Oct 10th. Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
I’ll be in the gallery ready & super happy to talk ART with you and your children 2-6pm this Saturday and Sunday!
Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
Culture show type news clip for my exhibition #IMMENSITIES: paintings of my travels through Greece & Belgium
Today & the next two weekends 2 – 6pm
Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
It was challenging for me to share this video because I’m very details oriented and I don’t think the lighting shared the true colours of the paintings.
Here are some of the lovely things people said about the art yesterday that warmed my heart, or made me smile and will keep me motivated to keep making art for you:
“YES! YES! YES! That is EXACTLY how that place FEELS!”
“I can feel the sun on the back of my neck when I look at this one.”
“Could I buy a print of this one that is already sold? Even though it’s not the original painting, the feeling I get is always authentic.”
“There’s something mystical in your use of light.”
“I feel like I could take many different walks in many different directions through these landscapes.”
“This view is where my partner proposed just a few weeks ago!”
“I like that you used unexpected colours.”
“Wonderful paintings – so vibrant, alive and full of feeling!”
“I didn’t expect to see Greece and Belgium with these colours.”
“Your prices are really accessible, thank you. I couldn’t afford original art otherwise.”
“There’s something in the atmosphere of light between the trees that reminds me of the person I’ve started dating and falling in love with right now.”
“Very happy to be here.”
“Amazing work.”
“I’ve been on a pedalo in that lake! You should’ve painted me in a boat right there!”
“Thank you for these so personal colorful landscapes.”
“Thank you for this trip into the happiness of art!”
“These paintings are both feminine and masculine.”
“Painting on the frames is really unique and exciting.”
“I love all the tree ones. I’m a trees guy.”
“You saw lots of colours in this place, you see a lot of the colours because you’re an artist, but I just see an excellent place for me to ride my motorcycle and have one of my greatest rides.”
“I would arrange them in my home in this way…”
“I need to bring back my wife before I buy because she is the boss.”
“I need to bring back my husband before I buy to check he enjoys it too.”
“I need to bring back my child tomorrow so you can inspire them the way you inspired me.”
The exhibition is on until November 2020.
IMMENSITIES Art Show: Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
IMMENSITIES Solo Art Show: Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
My mind boggles seeing the culmination of my lifetime painting right here in hard print in one of Europe’s top national newspapers.
I’m trying to be happy and not to worry about the changing nature of arts and culture events during these strange times and the thought this might be my last art show if things change even more.
It’s been a real struggle to get this art show through the pandemic and available to culture lovers.
My next scheduled one was postponed again and the one after that postponed indefinitely…
So tonight might be my first event in a while and my last one for a long, long while.
I’m just letting tonight be what it’s going to be and I hope to see you there!
IMMENSITIES Solo Art Show: Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
I hope I’m countering the negativity that’s always in the news by being in the press with positive paintings that people find uplifting.
Translation to English:
I Feel Like an Art Ambassador to Greece
Greece inspires my art.
Tropical beaches in Europe. Guaranteed good weather. Mountains, special architecture and sea. Greece is so beautiful.
My art inspires people to visit it.
I hosted a collector of works of art from Northern Europe at a private presentation of my exhibition, and while they were planning to buy a painting from Belgium, they ended up buying a painting from Greece! They then told me that the location I had painted – Naxos Island in particular – has become their first priority for their next vacation. This makes me proud of the beauty of my “adopted” country. It makes me feel like an art ambassador for Greece.
In addition to beauty
The paintings are not intended to be just aesthetically pleasing, there is still underlying philosophy, mythology, the cultural context.
My painting of Cape Tainaro changes, you might reflect on it more peacefully, when you know it is the mythological gateway to the underworld.
The Temple of Sounion of Poseidon seems more impressively ancient when you feel young compared to the age of the architecture.
The view of Meteora is a unique mix of cultural heritage and ancient geology.
My motivation is that I miss Greece
I named my exhibition IMMENSITIES. This is a collection of great landscapes of Greece and Belgium. Although my life between Greece and Belgium is a “permanent journey,” the boundaries are missing from this collection.
The art collector who came to buy a painting about Belgium, but ended up buying a painting from Greece, taught me that although there is a very personal journey for me here, with the presence of these two countries in my life, and my response, in terms of their beauty, as an aesthetic experience. And yet, even though the collector cannot travel outside the “Red Zone” of Belgium at the moment, they were inspired to visit Naxos. How much I miss Greece was “translated” through art as a source of inspiration into their enthusiasm to visit it.
The collection is presented in an exhibition entitled IMMENSITIES at the Art Base gallery in Brussels from 24 September 2020.
* Tamar Levi is a painter and author of children’s books She grew up in Alaska, lives in Belgium and has “married” into Greece – See more at https://tamarlevi.com/
One of the biggest and greatest Greek newspapers, Efimerida Syndakton published an article about me!
https://www.efsyn.gr/tehnes/eikastika/260669_krymmenes-ellinikes-omorfies
Translation to English: An exhibition entitled “IMMENSITIES” at the Art Base Gallery in Brussels opening September 24 by the painter and author of children’s books Tamar Levi.
The exhibition “IMMENSITIES” is a collection of great landscapes of Greece and Belgium and, as the author states, “Although my life between Greece and Belgium is a” permanent journey,” there are no boundaries in this collection.”
According to her, “What I want to share with the world is that Greece is beautiful and this does not only concern its most famous sights (Santorini, Acropolis, etc).”
Tamar Levi has painted several popular destinations, but also many “remote” parts of the mainland and islands and villages in colors that the viewer may not expect, from perspectives she wants the world to explore.
The exhibition includes large paintings, a monoprint but also small sketches in watercolor and acrylic from the painter’s sketchbooks. The monoprint in particular was inspired by a series of sketches she painted during a deeply emotional and moving journey to the Kalavrita Holocaust memorial.
“I feel like an ambassador of Greek art,” she says, as our country inspires her art and her art inspires people to visit Greece and its hidden beauties.
Tamar Levi grew up in Alaska, lives in Belgium and has “married” into Greece. More about her and her work here: https://tamarlevi.com/
Painting on the frame to create sculptural depth.
My original idea of painting on the frame aims to draw the viewer into the scene, in a sculptural way.
This provides the art collector with immediacy for hanging.
The bespoke frames provide deep dimensionality.
This allows the viewer to step into a scene. Another window for their home.
Most of these works are painted through the canvas and over the frame. I felt bad that art collectors often buy a work and then have to take it for framing.
If I can provide them with a ready-to-hang piece of art, I save them that extra time and expense.
To prepare for this collection I hunted for the biggest and most beautiful antique frames from markets and auction houses in Athens, Greece and Brussels, Belgium. Then I affixed and painted both canvases and frame simultaneously.
I have not perfected the method but so far I’m told it’s both helpful and delightful. What more can I offer?
IMMENSITIES Opening Night Thurs Sept 24th 6pm SNEAK PEEK: Largescale dynamic landscape paintings from Greece to Belgium. The cool-to-the-bones Art Base venue hosts contemporary artists, cutting-edge composers and the kind of global musicians that bring together local communities. Musicians will be playing for you by reservation on the 25, 26th and 27th of the two weeks that my art will be on show. You’ve been starving for cultural events; we will feed you with rich colours, vibrant music and Mediterranean snacks.
Vernissage 24/9/20 18-21h
Visiting hours 26/9, 3/10, 4/10, 10/10 14-18h
Art Base, 29 rue des Sables Zandstraat, 1000 Bruxelles
For reservations & more info to www.art-base.be
Contact: contact@tamarlevi.com