Lazy City Near The Sea

Voldemaras Valius, a Lithuanian painter, was born in Šilutė in 1955. His first steps in art were taken at the evening courses of the Klaipėda Children's Art School, where artists such as Algirdas Taurinskas, Vidas Pinkevičius, and Angelas Gabrielaitis played significant roles in his education. Valius formed strong bonds with his instructors, often visiting their studios after class. These visits not only contributed to his technical development but also served as vital sources of creative inspiration, helping to shape his artistic direction. A particularly important figure in his journey was Valdas Antanas Gurskis, a Vilnius painter, who motivated Valius to dedicate himself to painting.

Beginning in 1983, Valius has remained actively engaged in the art community, holding his own exhibitions and taking part in collective shows. As a member of the Lithuanian Folk Artists' Union, he maintains a close affiliation with local artistic heritage. In addition to his work on canvas, his earlier endeavors included creating murals and stained glass, though regrettably, these works have not been preserved. Today, Valius’ paintings can be found in private collections across Europe, the United States, and Australia, evidencing the widespread recognition of his distinctive artistic approach.

Valius is distinguished by his ability to craft works that open windows onto private, imaginative realms. He employs oil on canvas to invent magical, fairy tale-inspired worlds, blending purposeful creativity with the expressions of his subconscious. His use of vivid, deep colors, intricate decorative brushstrokes, and stylized figures forms scenes that seem to narrate stories where anything becomes possible. Inhabiting his canvases are gentle wizards, angels, and other celestial beings, whose presence infuses the art with an aura of serenity, goodwill, and light, filling each composition with optimism and delicacy.

Nature stands at the heart of Valius’ artistic vision, finding its most potent expression in his preferred genre—landscape painting. He distills the essence of the natural world into symbolic shapes and poetic moods, presenting landscapes that are not only depictions but also transformations shaped by his individual perspective. This approach seeks to illuminate the harmony between humanity and nature. Although his work explores surrealistic and symbolic elements, it is deeply rooted in the aesthetics of Lithuanian folk and naïve art. Valius’ approach to painting is characterized by authenticity and directness, resulting in a vibrant and uplifting oeuvre that remains closely tied to his cultural heritage.