The idea and inspiration for this painting came as a homage to a Russian symbolist artist Michail Vrubel who is famously known by his incredibly beautiful painting “Demon seated”(1890).
The character he depicted is so attractive it lures you into a feeling of compassion and an attempt to justify the notion of evil itself. It is this particular obsession with the topic (and he painted a lot on the subject) that caused his rapid mental and physical decline. I have to admit that Vrubel’s “Demon” held me under it’s spell as well. And when I found the right ‘face’ I felt compelled to paint it.
“Out of the Deep“ was finished years ago and I had it in my studio facing the wall. Friends who saw it always insisted that I must show it to the public. Recently I added a few touches: the light reddish glow in her hair is a sign of Hope just as the moon light that penetrates the darkness below.
Psalm 130: Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.
Lord, hear my voice!
Let your ears be attentive
to the voice of my supplications!
If you, O Lord, should mark iniquities,
Lord, who could stand?
But there is forgiveness with you…
As we were taught to pray for the dead, I unite my prayers with all sinners, living and beyond,
in supplication to our merciful Father in Heaven to lift us out of the darkness of sin, pain and despair.
I want to believe that the inexhaustible love and the divine mercy of our Lord has rescued my favourite artist, that he has restored his peace with God, and that he is in heaven working on his many masterpieces.