Malta’s fine artists are embracing the Christmas spirit with festive colours and seasonal sparkle. As their exclusive online show Art I Want for Christmas, opens on Artsy, Times of Malta talks to local painters about their love of art and asks what makes an original painting such a special gift.

It’s a magical time of year; a time for sharing what we love with the people we love. I always get a tingle of excitement and a warm glow inside when a fresh new piece of art is posted by an artist I follow. For both the artist who made it and for its eventual owner, an original painting is precious.

For the painter, however, it’s personal. As an artist myself, I can relate to the buzz of bringing something to life that didn’t previously exist. We get to enjoy both the creative process and the finished piece. Art allows us to express ourselves and to capture a person, place or object we admire.

Myopia by Andrew Borg, oil on canvas, 2019

My fellow artist Debbie Bonello sums it up: “There’s a burst of energy that pours onto a canvas when it’s the right day. Certain days it’s easy and sudden... I love those days… but best not talk about the other days.”

She’s right, it doesn’t always come easily. For every piece that works, there can be countless failures. But it’s worth it.

“It enriches life” she explains, “it’s an expression and an extension of myself and I feel I’m doing something valuable by practising it.”

Top left to bottom right: Harmony of Silence by Bogdan Dyulgerov, Xagħra Skyline by Christopher Saliba, Cheese Plant by Fabio Borg, Unspoken Words by Rosette Bonello

Hyperrealist painter Christine Porter Lofaro agrees. “Being a full-time artist is not an easy career. At the same time, I feel lucky that I can do what I do on a daily basis.”

“Being an artist is the most beautiful job in the world,” says Polish artist Dagmara Zaczeniuk. “The creativity is stronger than me. I can’t stop painting. When I hold the brush in my hand and bring my world onto the canvas, I feel happy. The outside world ceases to exist. Time ceases to exist. You can call it a kind of meditation, a trance. It is only here and now. Me and the canvas. I love it.”

It’s beautiful when a painting speaks to you- Dagmara Zaczeniuk

Artists from top left to bottom right: Fabio Borg, Andrew Borg, Christine Porter Lofaro, Andrew Smith, Debbie Bonello, Rosette Bonello, Dagmara Zaczeniuk, Christopher Saliba and Bogdan Dyulgerov

It’s easy to see why an artist might become attached to their finished work. I must confess I have had offers on paintings I couldn’t bring myself to part with. For Maltese artist Fabio Borg, paintings are “the mirror of the artist’s internal personality,” and “capture the emotions and the mood of the artist.”

Mixed media artist Rosette Bonello describes being a full-time artist as “utopia” but believes that “paintings become special for whoever interprets them.”

Landscape painter Christopher Saliba agrees. “An original piece becomes autonomous once it is completed; viewers relate to and interpret it differently. An original piece is something unique; its presence differs from that of other ordinary artefacts and belongings.”

Dagmara goes a step further, her paintings being open to individual interpretation is the whole point: “An original piece of art is alive. The most beautiful thing in my opinion is that the picture can speak, evoke emotions, memories and ideas. It is this dialogue between the work of art and the recipient that is important to me.”

Through the Branches by Debbie Bonello, oil on canvas, 2018

Plein-air painter Andrew Borg considers art to be a “visualisation of one’s personality,” which he actively uses to communicate with the viewer. “I enjoy injecting messages into my work,” he says.

According to Christine, a painting is “a unique artefact that is very personal and exclusive. An original work of art can also increase in value, thus making it an investment.”

For watercolourist Andrew Smith, an original painting connects its owner to something bigger than the piece itself. “The buyer may also receive and appreciate the long history of the arts and the story of art itself which goes back thousands of years,” he says.

“Each work is special because behind it there are years of joy and frustration,” Bonello continues.

But fortunately for her, her dedication appears to be paying off. “I never imagined my work would go to places before I did... like New York. It’s a wonderful feeling getting a positive response, but one must not stagnate and follow a formula that works just because it sells.”

Reflection by Dagmara Zaczeniuk (left) and Dwejra lines by Andrew Smith

And finally, for abstract painter Bogdan Dyulgerov, the gift of art is all about love.

“The way the audience responds to his or her artworks is of high importance for every artist. Art is all about love and emotions. I have always been quite happy when a work of mine finds the right person to love it  and it reciprocates this love. My desire is for my audience to feel the positive energies and emotions in my paintings and to feel entertained as I was feeling when I was painting them,” he points out.

All original paintings featured are available at www.allura-art.com. Visit the full Art I Want for Christmas exhibition on Artsy at www.artsy.net/show/allura-art-i-want-for-christmas