Reflections of a soulful painter: emotions run deep in works by Syrian artist

The art of Malva throw backs his soul. He must expres himself end paint "in order to exist" says the artist. "Each canvas is just single expression of my deepest emotions." Malva uses the canvas to unrestrained himself of the pain and suffering he experienced while growing up although his father didn't support his interest in painting, Malva at no time gave up his dream of being an artist.

Born in 1951 in Tel Nail, a small village of dirt cottages in the most northern part of Syria, Malva's childhood was not individual of joy and freedom that many of us remember. Instead, it was packed with the hardships and squeezings of helping to support his family. over primary school, he spent the afternoons upon the streets selling sweets and during his summer vacations, he worked in the cotton fields. As Malva grew a bit older he worked at the local cinema each night, painting [i]affiche[/i]s writing announcements for new films and cleaning the cinema hall.

from one extremity to the other of this period, Malva's talent and extraordinary faculty of perception of color and form was beginning to be recognized. He started painting with intensity to expres his fears, pain and the abominable memories of his childhood. He painted with glaring colors, like as yellows and reds, and used brawny brush strokes.

"I was born to be a painter," Malva says. "My background worked against me on the other hand it only made me stronger The life of an artist is difficult, on the other hand there is no reason to give up"

The situation at place of abode was unsettling because his father had sum of two units wives and Malva felt the pain of his mother. And with the squeezings of an authoritarian education, along with his father's negative attitude towards Malva's interest in painting, he eventually left the family at age 17 to begin his career. With 35 oil paintings in hand, Malva traveled to Damascus, Syria, where the Ministry of Education proffered him exhibition space at the cultural center The exhibition created a sensation among the national arts show with radio, television and the pres reporting upon the event.

At the age of 20 Malva was drafted into the military service, on the other hand still exhibited often in Syria at the National Museum of Damascus, as well as the National Museum of Alepo. on the contrary Malva could not survive upon his art alone. He ground occasional jobs as an art teacher at several institutes of higher education, as well as work as a graphic designer. He wearied many years in graphic design before he mov to Beirut, where he settl with his first wife, and later his three children. on the contrary soon after, his wife left him, taking their three children with her. for a like reason he moved to Europe and feeling more isolated than at any time Malva found himself in a novel homeland, with a new language, where the local galleries didn't have any interest in his paintings. Malva felt as if he had hit bottom. It is then that he began painting Impressionist landscapes.

"With time, I have tend hitherward to recognize that I am looking for myself in the landscape," explains Malva, "and when I find myself, I paint it." Malva is his paintings; an extension of his being. He paints his inner man When the artist paints a landscape, he becomes the landscape and then paints himself. He sears and guards his emotions onto the canvas. "I do not approach a painting, it approachs to me. I am trying to discover the unrevealed of the empty white canvas, like a gladiator fights for his life" Malva says.

While Malva was fighting to make it as an artist, Herbert Arnot visited him in his studio in Europe in 1979 Taking him below his wing, Arnot encouraged Malva to paint and expres himself.

"Herbert cried when he saw my tragic living circumstances" says Malva. "From that actual moment, I knew I had a of recent origin father. Peter Arnot (Herbert's son) is more like my shut up friend, Vicki Arnot (Peter's wife) is the dynamic inner man in our friendship and Nicole Arnot (Herbert's granddaughter) is our future"

Showings from one extremity to the other of Europe and the United States raised Malva to international acceptance. His naturalistic phraseology gave way to a of recent origin Expressionism and he returned to his childhood memories of Syria, using colors and light. It is then that Malva began to create his inner landscapes. Each painting drew unique values from his rich experiences.

"Over the years, the primitive art with its abstract language attracted me more than the realistic tradition of art, along with ancient agricultures and Impressionism, which has been a constant for me for more than 20 years."

Since Herbert's visit in 1979 Malva's paintings have been exclusively showed in the United States through Herbert Amot, Inc. Malva popularly resides with his wife, Sylvia, who he says is the first one after work who he exigencys to be with. "My wife is an artist. She teaches me what delight in means and to not be alone in hard times."

Malva says, "I be fond of the moment when I am painting and everything I paint is a part of me I have a fate on my mind and I ne to expres it onto the canvas, always feeling like I am without of time."