Stjepko Mamic, both a painter and sea captain was born in Dubrovnik, Croatia. His paintings are unique, bursting with color created with powerful strokes of the palette knife, full of light and positive energy. After thirty years of sea service he returned to home-port and continued to work as a full time freelance artist/painter. He has perfected the techniques of contemporary painting at the Academy D’Arte Florence, Italy and Academia du Port-Royal, Paris, France. He become a permanent artist member of galleries “Artitude”, Paris, who is organizing world exhibition tour in 2015, starting from Paris, London, New York, Sao Paolo, Shanghai and Berlin. Mamic has exhibited at Louvre and the Eiffel Tower (The exhibition ”La Grande Exposition Universelle” held on the 125th anniversary of the tower opening). He received the plaque for the best performer in the World for stylistic value directly from the hands of famous Salvador Dali’s son.
Why did you choose acrylic as your favorite medium?
Well ,I use different mediums , like oil, acrylics, liquid paint for the glass and mixed media with golden leaves. Many years I worked with oils only, than changed to mixed medium, acrylics , pigments from Florence and liquid paint for glass. I like paint for glass due to transparency, which allow light to pass trough paint and interact with background and exceptional quality ( paintings done with that paints that can be exposed to the sunlight for several years without any deterioration in colors (fading) or surface (cracking), what is not case with the oil paints ).Some of my paintings with golden leaves are ” paintings which responding to light”, the vibrancy and shades of color changes with light sources and angle of observing. It is amazing to see how people are reacting to the light.
What is your creative process like?
I am untypical painter, I like to follow my instincts and to be spontaneous. Most of my artwork has been created in the moment of inspiration (without preparations, like sketching and color’s comparisons on a small scale and after that to copy the same on the large canvas ). I use blank canvas, palette knives and paint and start working straight on linen canvas. The most important is to hold inspiration for a while and to transfer idea ( the invisible energy) to canvas, as soon as possible. I always try to do it quickly to capture that wave, the burst of idea and positive energy. That is so exciting.
How has your style changed over the years?
I started painting as very young, my destiny was to become a painter, but God had other plans for me so I went to sea. I travelled all over the globe , seen all seas and after thirty years of sea service as Captain I returned home, back to my first love – Painting.
My style changed with the years, the more I paint I am more happy with the result, but beside experience from time to time I am attending classes at the Accademia D’ Arte at Florence and Académie de Port-Royal at Paris to perfect the technique of painting. I am the colorist but have feeling and respect for all forms of visual art. I am constantly researching and experimenting , to find the proper way to capture the energy of light and to make a perfect painting.
Your work was exhibited at the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum. Tell us about your Parisian experience.
Among many others internationally exhibitions , that exhibition “LA GRANDE EXPOSITION UNIVERSELLE” Eiffel Tower was extraordinary. That exhibition was a tribute to the first exhibition done there on 1889., 125 years ago and only 40 artists from all over the world were invited. That was a great honor for me to be among them. I had few more exhibitions in Paris and participated at the Carrousel du Louvre and Biennale de Paris . My most recent exhibition was at the Galerie Métanoïa, Paris, ( just 50 meters from the Centar Georges Pompidou ), a week ago.Paris is always a good idea :-). Regarding exhibitions I have in average 8 exhibitions per year all over the globe.
What inspires you?
It is incredible adventure to be alive and enjoy life with the person I love. That is the greatest inspiration for me. People love my arts , and that is motivation to go on and to create more paintings. My paintings are like my kids for me, one day I will be gone, but my painting will continue to live trough people’s heart and eyes which appreciate the simple beauty of colors.
What’s your favorite place in Dubrovnik?
It is impossible to answer , Dubrovnik is like a birthday cake, which part of cake do I like the best. Dubrovnik of my childhood, youth, friendship or first love. Dubrovnik at night or at dawn, or at high noon when the sun’s rays entering every corner of the city. The city walls or an old harbor. It is simple, I like it all of it. Two places are very important for me, first one, my atelier at Celestina Medovica street in the Old City is my place of inspiration,meditation,relax and creativity, meeting place for many friends and visitors. The second one is my garden where in summer the smell of flowers , citrus and Mediterranean herbs are intertwined with the heat and the salty sea breeze.
What would be a perfect gift to take home from Dubrovnik?
Like any modest artist LOL I will say : “My artworks could be a perfect gift for art lovers”. Whoever visited Dubrovnik once will come again, because the sights and memories from Dubrovnik are real gifts for the whole life time .
