Artwork in the room
Aurelija Kairytė Smolianskienė is a painter whose artwork has been featured in numerous local exhibitions throughout Lithuania. She adeptly merges watercolour and oil on canvas, delving into the dynamic relationship between these two mediums to craft vibrant and harmonious compositions. By making deliberate choices in materials, she is able to experiment with both translucency and texture, producing paintings that capture delicate nuances of colour and form.
Residing on an animal farm nestled within the Lithuanian countryside, Aurelija is constantly surrounded by unspoiled forests and tranquil velvet lakes that inspire her artistic vision each day. The magical landscape and its wealth of natural beauty frequently appear as repeating motifs in her paintings. Moreover, local folk legends and the fantasies sparked by them nurture her imagination, playing a significant role in shaping her visual narratives.
Drawing extensively on her own experiences and emotions, Aurelija’s work remains deeply personal while also resonating with a wider audience. As an artist whose roots are grounded in rural Lithuania, she recognizes that her imagery defies straightforward interpretation, weaving together passing recollections, regional myths, and silent dreams. This sense of mystery encourages viewers to engage with her art through their own individual perspectives.
Academically trained in the arts, she completed her studies at the National School of Art. In 2008, Aurelija earned a Master of Arts degree from the Vilnius Academy of Arts in Lithuania, a significant achievement that has further fostered her development as an artist.
About this artwork+
This vibrant watercolor painting is rich in dreamlike imagery and a kaleidoscope of colors blending from gentle blues and greens to vivid pinks and reds. At the center stage, a prominently portrayed dog appears. It resembles a golden retriever, painted realistically compared to the other figures and marked by its calm, benevolent gaze and a distinct, carefully shaded coat. Surrounding the dog are various abstract and surreal elements: there are faint images of human faces and figural outlines, visible as though emerging from a mist. Human figures of varying clarity and realism also appear, including two distinct female forms at the left, characterized by ethereal, almost transparent features. Their expressions are serene, contributing to the overall mystical atmosphere of the piece. Detail is lavished on a nebulous, swirling mass at the center-right, appearing like a heart made of an intricate web of lines and smaller shapes, intertwined with colors that suggest a lively inner spirit or energy. To the right, a smaller, child-like figure stands alone, facing towards the other subjects with a simple, sketch-like quality. Diverse forms and shapes that hint at plants, possibly flowers or underwater coral, and other organic patterns fill the composition, blurring the line between the aquatic and botanical, adding a sense of undersea or otherworldly garden to the scene. Throughout the artwork, the interactions of water and pigment create a soft, fluid background, while spontaneous bursts of ink and specks of colors suggest celestial constellations or microscopic organisms, enhancing the painting’s fantastical, almost mystical quality. This artwork is a captivating, chaotic fusion of the natural with the supernatural, the defined with the abstract, inviting viewers into a profoundly imaginative and enchanting visual narrative.
