Between fragility and strength, between light and shadow, my art seeks the timeless essence of what it means to be human.

Interview with Ionut Tepele

1. Please tell us something about your background and your art journey so far.

My journey into art was not a straight line, but rather a collection of detours, questions, and discoveries. I began with photography because I was fascinated by people… their expressions, their quiet stories. Over time, I realized I wasn’t satisfied with simply “taking a picture”. I wanted to create something that felt timeless, something that carried the same weight I felt when I stand in front of a painting by Caravaggio or Rembrandt. Slowly, I moved from events and portraits to fine art, where I finally felt that I wasn’t just documenting life, but transforming it into something that breathes on its own.

2. Describe what a normal day looks like as an artist.

To be honest, no two days look the same. Some mornings I am buried in emails and logistics, other days I wake up with an idea that won’t let me go until I sketch it out or build a set around it. What is constant is the need for silence, for space. I often find myself lost in music, or staring at old paintings, or simply at the way light falls across a wall. My days are a dance between the very practical and the deeply intuitive.

3. Can you tell us more about the theme in your art and your inspiration?

The core of my art is about human duality, the fragile and the strong, the fleeting and the eternal, the light and the shadow. I am inspired by Baroque and Renaissance masters, but also by the smallest gestures in everyday life: the way someone holds their breath, the way a hand trembles, the vulnerability hidden in a gaze. I want each piece to be like a mirror where the viewer can recognize a part of themselves, even if it’s a part they usually hide.

4. How does your art life impact other parts of your life?

Art has become the way I see the world. It’s not something I switch off when I leave the studio. I notice details others pass by… the texture of skin, the silence between two words, the melancholy in the evening light. Sometimes it feels overwhelming, because my mind is always “collecting,” always framing, but at the same time it has made my life richer. Art has taught me patience, sensitivity, and the courage to sit with the uncomfortable instead of looking away.

Ascension

5. Could you share any difficulties and hardships you had to face in life and how or if you managed/overcame them?

The hardest part was learning to believe that my art had a place in the world. There were moments when I doubted myself, when rejection felt like a confirmation that I wasn’t “enough.” In a world that often values speed and surface, it was painful to stay true to a vision that requires depth and slowness. What saved me was persistence and the quiet realization that art doesn’t need everyone’s approval… it just needs to be honest.

6. Tell us about your best experience in the art world so far.

For me, the most rewarding experiences are the moments when people take the time to share their appreciation for my work. Every message of encouragement, every word of recognition feels like a quiet reminder that what I create resonates with someone out there. It may seem small, but those gestures give me energy and confirm that my art has meaning beyond myself.

7. Share your worst experience in the art world.

I don’t know if I’ve had a “worst” experience, but I’ve certainly had disappointments. Collaborations that fell apart, promises that remained just words, or people who looked at my work and only saw a “pretty picture”, missing the hours, the soul, the weight behind it. At first those moments hurt, but over time I’ve come to see them as necessary. They helped me understand who I want to keep close and what I should walk away from.

The Theater of Power

8. What practical advice can you give to fellow artists?

My advice is simple: don’t chase trends. Don’t bend yourself just to be liked. The world doesn’t need another copy; it needs your voice, your strange way of seeing. Feed your art with knowledge, with culture, with your own scars. And when you feel invisible… keep going. Sometimes the silence is just the space your art needs before it finds the right eyes.

9. Is the artist life lonely? Please share your thoughts and experiences.

It is, in a way. There are long stretches of solitude where it’s just me, my thoughts, and the work in front of me. But I don’t see this solitude as emptiness. For me, it’s a kind of fertile ground where ideas grow. And when connection happens – with a model, with a viewer, with another artist… it feels all the more profound because it rises out of that solitude.

10. What are you working on at the moment and are there any upcoming events you would like to talk about?

Right now, I find myself immersed in several projects, each unfolding at its own rhythm. Eternal Frames is perhaps the most ambitious one — a composition I’ve been working on for nearly a year. It will become a single final image, woven from many different frames, and it will bring together around nine models, each appearing in distinct postures and layers of the story. It’s a slow and patient process, almost like building a universe piece by piece. At the same time, Sanguis Aeternum is taking shape, carrying with it a more somber, timeless atmosphere. And parallel to these, I’m sketching a new concept that still lives mostly in my imagination — one that will stay faithful to the painterly fine art aesthetic, but unlike my previous works, it will burst with color. I see it as light breaking through, something vibrant and alive. I prefer not to reveal too much just yet. Mystery is part of the creative process, and I want these works to surprise not only the viewer, but also myself when they finally come together.

Sanctitas Corporis

Website : www.ionut-tepele.com

Instagram : @ionut_tepele_fineartportraits