Artist Statement:

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I have been painting as long as I remember myself; my case is a rare example when a child's hobby has become a profession.

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I love to experiment with different techniques and materials (oil, acrylics, pastel, ink, batik, transparent film, glass), but my favorite is and always has been a watercolor.

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I love watercolor because it is liquid and transparent, vivid and calm, it can scream or be blue - it is alive!  I never use pure black or white colors, because I do not see the pure colors in the world around us, everything is not just as easy as black or white, I always blend other colors to make dark or light tones.  Another reason why watercolors are based on water and water is life.

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I always try to carry brushes and paints with me, because with watercolors you have to practice every day.  Sketches and exercises are necessary to keep you in a good shape- you cannot correct a wrong stroke or line with watercolors, each is final and if you want to express yourself you have to do it right the first time.  To me, making a painting is like splashing your emotions on a piece of paper as quickly as you splash out water from the jar or a cup.

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My credo is not to copy surroundings but rather to express feelings and emotions.  I might paint a landscape or a flower bouquet and set a mood for viewers to enjoy.  The value of art is in creation not in copying, in imagination not in reflection; an artist should be able to express feeling and emotions showing regular events and images.

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Luci Mistratov - winner and participant of multiple national and international exhibitions and art shows, book illustrator, holds BS in Biology and PhD. in Art Education,teaches art in state university, currently art intern at Bernheim Forest, Clermont, KY.

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