Chayim Shvarzblat – Watercolor is the art of listening to the water

Shvarzblat: I live in Lakewood, it is most natural when your soul is inspired by the beauty of the environment, that you have the need to compete with yourself to paint it. The beauty of the sunny morning or the scent of the rainy streets, the image of wet asphalt on the purity of the dome, and lamps below which you expect to meet a dear person. The sunny morning, the saddest touch of the sky with water portrays the peaceful turquoise blue of the dome and water palace, rarely stirred up by fishermen who have just stepped into their morning catch. The barges, Venice gondoliers, small narrow canals, connected by bridges that cut the light like nowhere, bring joy and a smile to the face. The indescribable beauty of the details of the architecture of Prague gives you a gift that something higher was put its fingers, as the poet said: “The only one who mixes in divine affairs is the artist.”

Q: Watercolor does not suffer corrections, if an error occurs, the painting is over or not?

Shvarzblat: There is no improvisation. You’re left to get the new paper.

Q: And in the end, would you change the profession to give an opportunity to something else?

Shvarzblat: If a thousand times I was born, I would choose the same profession again.

Q: Your artworks are located all over the world, who are the buyers?

Shvarzblat: My watercolors are on all continents of the world, a large number of my watercolors are owned by great collectors and art lovers.

Q: Painting the atmosphere in the watercolor, what does it mean?

Shvarzblat: The most difficult discipline in the painting is to paint the atmosphere. It is a skill that influences the emotion of the observer by designing colors, their power, and suggestion. This is the ultimate goal of challenging a certain mood and the time that flows stops with a moment that is deeply lived in you, and then you transfer through the arts of painting art to another. And of course, the secret is revealed here? The secret where the crafts become the tools of the spirit, that is art!

Q: Why watercolors, why not oil on canvas?

Shvarzblat: Watercolor is an art painting discipline in which you must start in one breath, without delay. My nature is the same, I have no patience for long painting, it must be completed “now”. With oil painting is completely different – everything can be postponed for later, so watercolor is heavy and given to a small number of invited to experience it! It says that you do not choose watercolor, but the watercolor chooses you!

Q: Looking at your city scene and landscape, attention is drawn to the bird’s eye…

Shvarzblat: An extraordinary experience of the superiority of space over you loses its strength when you find yourself on the roof of the building. Here you have another relationship, other emotions, adrenaline makes up your own. You seem to be the master of space. That look at the bird’s perspective from the bird’s perspective that you need to put into the boundaries of paper-based formats if it’s a problem, and you’re right, you’re overwhelmed by the fact that you’re there with you. And then if you have a comfortable environment and a good look, the challenge of failing images from the first time is minimized !!

Q: You were several times invited by an international watercolor competition. You recently received several calls to exhibit in China, which has a special treatment for watercolor painting. What does that mean to you?

Shvarzblat: My “e-mail” is filled with invitations to participate in international competitions from around the world, as well as numerous offers to hold painting workshops, but so far my plans are not in that direction. Later, maybe that… I’ve been one of the judges for several occasions on a call at international watercolor competitions. I recently accepted such a call for major insistence in Turkey organized by the International Watercolour Association (IWS). I am a participant in China at the world exhibition of the master of watercolors, in which I have already exhibited my artworks several times, in several of the best museums. Certainly, this is a great experience that always makes me promote my art and culture, and thus promote the culture of my country.

Q: Does painting begin spontaneously or does this build in the process of painting?

Shvarzblat: The internal process, the anticipation, the struggle with itself must be completely cleared of all excess visions and emotions so that the painter has the opportunity to completely share himself with another while remaining unharmed. It’s a really rare privilege. For me, painting is a passion and it seems to me that this passion and energy always overlap. What attracts you in one painting is the energy the artist transfers to the viewer. It’s felt, there are no scams. Before a copy or print where there is no such energy because the machine cannot be transferred, the observer is indifferent. It happens that I am completely convinced that I am on the track of something great, and I paint an average painting.

Q: Explain your painting in three words?

Shvarzblat: Motive, brightness, and color!

Q: Very often you paint the motives of New Jersey, Venice, Paris, Prague. What inspires you in these places?

Shvarzblat: I live in Lakewood, it is most natural when your soul is inspired by the beauty of the environment, that you have the need to compete with yourself to paint it. The beauty of the sunny morning or the scent of the rainy streets, the image of wet asphalt on the purity of the dome, and lamps below which you expect to meet a dear person. The sunny morning, the saddest touch of the sky with water portrays the peaceful turquoise blue of the dome and water palace, rarely stirred up by fishermen who have just stepped into their morning catch. The barges, Venice gondoliers, small narrow canals, connected by bridges that cut the light like nowhere, bring joy and a smile to the face. The indescribable beauty of the details of the architecture of Prague gives you a gift that something higher was put its fingers, as the poet said: “The only one who mixes in divine affairs is the artist.”

Q: Watercolor does not suffer corrections, if an error occurs, the painting is over or not?

Shvarzblat: There is no improvisation. You’re left to get the new paper.

Q: And in the end, would you change the profession to give an opportunity to something else?

Shvarzblat: If a thousand times I was born, I would choose the same profession again.

Q: Your artworks are located all over the world, who are the buyers?

Shvarzblat: My watercolors are on all continents of the world, a large number of my watercolors are owned by great collectors and art lovers.

Painter Chayim Shvarzblat, one of the best watercolor artists from Lakewood, New Jersey, speaks for “Medium” about the creation of unique artworks, painting today, his inspirations, exhibitions around the world, etc. Watercolor is pure science, a real little warlike in real life where you have a strategy, an attack, and ultimately uncertainty about how the fight will end itself. Watercolor is a constant impulse, suspicion, personal struggle with the touch of color and water that flows on paper.

This is how the New Jersey painter Chayim Shvarzblat, one of the best watercolor artists from Lakewood, speaks for “Patch”, pointing out that, as in any other art, everything in the watercolor is visible, everything looks easy, everything is flowing and it works perfectly. Shvarzblat: The greatest art of watercolor is to learn to listen to the water, to follow its flow, to listen to its pulse, and at the right time, before or after, add color to the paper. You need to know that you control coincidence, to the extent that it works for you, but not hindering her mission to make the most beautiful in the watercolor, which is a surprise. If you succeed, then there is no secret anymore! It’s watercolor!

Q: Painting the atmosphere in the watercolor, what does it mean?

Shvarzblat: The most difficult discipline in the painting is to paint the atmosphere. It is a skill that influences the emotion of the observer by designing colors, their power, and suggestion. This is the ultimate goal of challenging a certain mood and the time that flows stops with a moment that is deeply lived in you, and then you transfer through the arts of painting art to another. And of course, the secret is revealed here? The secret where the crafts become the tools of the spirit, that is art!

Q: Why watercolors, why not oil on canvas?

Shvarzblat: Watercolor is an art painting discipline in which you must start in one breath, without delay. My nature is the same, I have no patience for long painting, it must be completed “now”. With oil painting is completely different – everything can be postponed for later, so watercolor is heavy and given to a small number of invited to experience it! It says that you do not choose watercolor, but the watercolor chooses you!

Q: Looking at your city scene and landscape, attention is drawn to the bird’s eye…

Shvarzblat: An extraordinary experience of the superiority of space over you loses its strength when you find yourself on the roof of the building. Here you have another relationship, other emotions, adrenaline makes up your own. You seem to be the master of space. That look at the bird’s perspective from the bird’s perspective that you need to put into the boundaries of paper-based formats if it’s a problem, and you’re right, you’re overwhelmed by the fact that you’re there with you. And then if you have a comfortable environment and a good look, the challenge of failing images from the first time is minimized !!

Q: You were several times invited by an international watercolor competition. You recently received several calls to exhibit in China, which has a special treatment for watercolor painting. What does that mean to you?

Shvarzblat: My “e-mail” is filled with invitations to participate in international competitions from around the world, as well as numerous offers to hold painting workshops, but so far my plans are not in that direction. Later, maybe that… I’ve been one of the judges for several occasions on a call at international watercolor competitions. I recently accepted such a call for major insistence in Turkey organized by the International Watercolour Association (IWS). I am a participant in China at the world exhibition of the master of watercolors, in which I have already exhibited my artworks several times, in several of the best museums. Certainly, this is a great experience that always makes me promote my art and culture, and thus promote the culture of my country.

Q: Does painting begin spontaneously or does this build in the process of painting?

Shvarzblat: The internal process, the anticipation, the struggle with itself must be completely cleared of all excess visions and emotions so that the painter has the opportunity to completely share himself with another while remaining unharmed. It’s a really rare privilege. For me, painting is a passion and it seems to me that this passion and energy always overlap. What attracts you in one painting is the energy the artist transfers to the viewer. It’s felt, there are no scams. Before a copy or print where there is no such energy because the machine cannot be transferred, the observer is indifferent. It happens that I am completely convinced that I am on the track of something great, and I paint an average painting.

Q: Explain your painting in three words?

Shvarzblat: Motive, brightness, and color!

Q: Very often you paint the motives of New Jersey, Venice, Paris, Prague. What inspires you in these places?

Shvarzblat: I live in Lakewood, it is most natural when your soul is inspired by the beauty of the environment, that you have the need to compete with yourself to paint it. The beauty of the sunny morning or the scent of the rainy streets, the image of wet asphalt on the purity of the dome, and lamps below which you expect to meet a dear person. The sunny morning, the saddest touch of the sky with water portrays the peaceful turquoise blue of the dome and water palace, rarely stirred up by fishermen who have just stepped into their morning catch. The barges, Venice gondoliers, small narrow canals, connected by bridges that cut the light like nowhere, bring joy and a smile to the face. The indescribable beauty of the details of the architecture of Prague gives you a gift that something higher was put its fingers, as the poet said: “The only one who mixes in divine affairs is the artist.”

Q: Watercolor does not suffer corrections, if an error occurs, the painting is over or not?

Shvarzblat: There is no improvisation. You’re left to get the new paper.

Q: And in the end, would you change the profession to give an opportunity to something else?

Shvarzblat: If a thousand times I was born, I would choose the same profession again.

Q: Your artworks are located all over the world, who are the buyers?

Shvarzblat: My watercolors are on all continents of the world, a large number of my watercolors are owned by great collectors and art lovers.

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