CHOICES Painting

"All the variety, all the charm, all the beauty of life is made up of light and shadow." Leo Tolstoy I try to depict Life situations along with its beauty as well as the tension that these situations can produce. When I was younger , I was enchanted by the theatre and began writing plays . I still do. When I discovered painting, it became apparent to me that my canvas can be used as sort of a stage. In order to bring the stage of life to the canvas I freeze real and imagined scenes of everyday life even in their fantastic abstract form. It is in this way ,I feel I can reveal aspects of the human experience along with its beauty , aspirations and dismay. My hope is that my art will act as a type of prism as it were, displaying the hidden array of colors of our invisible light - light which we take for granted and take no notice of. Acrylic paints on canvas is my preferred medium . I strive for clear lines as-well as well defined forms. ….But telling the story is in my eyes the most important component . I am a great admirer of the works of Caravaggio, Renoir , Degas , Vermeer and Rembrandt among others Having been born in Israel , I emigrated with my family at the age of five to the Bronx in New York. I was brought up in the Bronx and I am told have a Bronx accent.. So be it. Political science was my major in college and I planned on going to law school - but life had a its own little twists and turns. I work as a mineralogist . Interestingly, each mineral has its own character (personality)- it’s specific weight , it’s own reactions to light and its own physical and chemical makeup . No 2 minerals are exactly the same . Each has its color and its own identifying blemishes …just like people. We are who we are in no small part do to our imperfections. Thirty four years ago ,I met my wife on a blind date . We fell in love and married just after 3 weeks of knowing each other and moved to Israel, where we live .. We have 3 kids and 2 grandchildren. All my characters , both human and animals were painted with great care and affection. I love all of them . I cannot paint someone or some creatureI have no feeling for. I hope you found this interesting. Thank you for your time ? Shlomo Roter