Art & Life with Bela Fidel

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bela Fidel.

Bela, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil. In 1965, I moved to Israel and pursued studies in English and Spanish Literatures at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. I was living in Israel at the outbreak of The Six-Day War as well as the Yom Kippur War. Until that time, I loved literature and music but did not have any special interest in art.
Around 1967, I started to play at painting and produced a few some small panels, which I never took seriously.

Upon returning to Brazil in 1969, I continued to paint and took art classes with local art instructors. I applied myself to learning how to paint in the academic, classic manner but it took me 10 years to finally realize that art had transformed itself into Art in my life and that I would never be centered without it. My style in oils evolved from representational to surrealist to contemporary and abstract. Approximately 19 years ago, I learned how to use Encaustics and that became a passion, which I developed into my DVD course, “The Three-Step Encaustic Adventure,” my booklet, “the Essential Encaustics” and my teaching of workshops at my studio and at other Art venues in Arizona.

In 2017, I took a leap into Mixed Media, and am currently developing a very special series using various compounds such as Venetian Plaster and others, which I enhance with water-based decorative paints, acrylics, powders, gold leaf, and encaustics.

Although I have been painting for almost 4 decades, I feel I have only touched the tip of the iceberg. Every day is a new adventure that brings risk-taking, curiosity, self-knowledge, and excitement. What will tomorrow bring? How am I going to deal with my fears in my creative life? What messages am I imparting with my work? Do I touch people’s hearts? How can my work bring joy, surprises, excitement?

These are issues that are at the forefront of my life as a creative being/artist. I am constantly pursuing errands of truth, getting to know myself better, taking myself to the edge of abysses that try my faith in myself. All in all, it’s a beautiful life for which I am deeply grateful.

Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I work with oils, encaustics, and mixed media. I am developing a series that uses oils and encaustics in separate layers and complex interactions. In Encaustics, I am adding other kinds of waxes that create exciting effects and takes my work to a higher level of interest and discoveries. My Mixed media series, started in 2017, has been quite successful. In this series, I mix Venetian Plaster and other compounds with powders, gold/copper leaf’s, acrylic paints, decorative paints, acrylic mediums, metallic pastes, etc.

My goal is to study the dialogue these various mediums are able to have with each other while creating elegant, interesting and arresting paintings. My creativity is two-prong: One, I absolutely must create to remain centered and emotionally healthy. I complete one painting and am onto the next and the next. Two, I invite viewers and collectors to expand their perception of what art can be and what it brings. The various mediums acting in unison on one canvas or panel create a reality that is unique in itself and essentially me. The risks I take and conquer are reflected in each piece whose depth and richness not only will entertain but also surprise and excite.

My goal is to use my work to bring joy and excitement to those who come in contact with it. I aim at touching people’s hearts, at tickling their imagination, at guiding them towards constant discoveries – each painting is a gift that keeps on giving if the viewer spends time immersing him/herself in it.

Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
Artists’ success and survival depend, among many other imponderables, on a good economy, a healthy art market and good personal marketing habits and procedures. The vagaries of the economy create an unstable basis on which to peg our survival. Hence the need for artists to have a “day job” or teach art, etc. Historically, artists have had to fend competition, obscurity, the requirements of patrons and galleries.

Today, the mega-galleries welcome mega-names in art and are part of an art context that is accessible to a restricted (though not small) number of artists and collectors. All galleries must keep their eye on sales to survive and their criteria for welcoming artists into their rostrum is shaded by this condition, not necessarily by the artist’s ability, i.e., the artist may well be excellent but his/her work must stand the test of sales. I am stating the obvious, I know. My point is that artists must contend with this condition in addition to creating work they love and being true to themselves.

I feel that in some ways life has become harder for artists: more competition, stricter requirements by galleries, an up-and-down economy. On the other hand, the Internet has brought many more windows of opportunity for exposure. Still, here too, the competition keeps increasing by the day. Artists must face the question: will I paint what I love or will I follow fads and styles that are more commercially viable? Cynical as this approach may be, it is not unrealistic.

Phoenix, Scottsdale and other Arizona cities are rich in Art venues that promote a varied art landscape. I feel that galleries in Arizona would do well in joining the Los Angeles, Chicago, New York art scene by more fully embracing avant-garde, contemporary, abstract artists. We are rich in Southwest Art and its derivatives but not quite as rich in these other styles. And still, success in its many shades is possible. Artists must continue to strive to improve, excel in their medium, connect with people on many levels and always dedicate themselves to provide pleasure, excitement, interest, and joy to their viewers and collectors.

What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
I am currently (September 2018) showing at the West Valley Artists Guild in Surprise, AZ; at the Desert Foothills Library in Cave Creek, AZ and at the Sonoran Artists League in Cave Creek. My work can be seen at www.fidelabstractoils.com. Prior series can be seen at www.belafidel.com.

I am also available for studio showings by appointment, as well as talks and demos at various art venues. My next exhibit will be during Hidden in the Hills, a studio tour of 44 studios in North Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek in Arizona. This Studio Tour will take place on November 16, 17, 18 and 23, 24, 25, 2018. I will host 5 artists who work in different mediums and will show my work in Oils, Encaustics and Mixed Media.

I send out a monthly blog introducing a new painting, explaining the process and what led me to create that particular piece. Should anyone be interested in subscribing to it, they can e-mail me and I will be happy to add them to the list. Anyone can unsubscribe at any time. I also introduce paintings through Instagram on a regular basis. New paintings and my blog can also be seen on Facebook. I have a presence in LinkedIn as well.

Attending my shows, subscribing to my blogs, follow me on Instagram or Facebook, staying in touch in whichever way is convenient for them is always a source of support and appreciation. We, artists, do not thrive in a vacuum. Yes, we may paint for ourselves. But we are an intrinsic part of a community, a society, a micro, and a macro universe. And as such, we depend on support in whatever manner it comes to be. Support is the nutrient that keeps us coming back to the studio, rain or shine.

Contact Info:

• Address: 7507 E. Roy Rogers Road Scottsdale, AZ 85266
• Website: www.fidelabstractoils.com
• Phone: 480-221 6947
• Email: bela@belafidelfineart.com
• Instagram: fidelbela
• Facebook: belafidelfineart
• Twitter: @bela_fidel, @painterencaustics

Image Credit:
Bela Fidel Fine Art

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