MOTTI SHOVAL | BEAUTY OF SIMPLICITY

MOTTI SHOVAL | BEAUTY OF SIMPLICITY

Israeli artist and an art teacher, Motti Shoval (b. 1954), expresses the simplicity of the everyday scenes from his neighborhood in Haifa. Small corners at his house are brought to life in pastel’s high-technique, and in his work, you will find the intimacy of humanity atmospheric.

Shoval has gained a respected name internationally by winning awards in many Pastel international competitions in the past twenty years. In addition, he exhibited his work in many exhibitions, including at the 7th international biennial of pastel painters in Poland, the 48th annual exhibition of Pastel Society of America, and in 2021 won First place in the international pastel competition Pastel Guild of Europe (PGE).

“I live and work in Hadar, a neighborhood in Haifa, Israel. As soon as I moved to the area ten years ago, I realized that I didn’t have to go far to find subjects for painting. I fell in love with the place.
I draw my inspiration from my neighborhood, the urban landscape, nights, and the people I meet at local cafes. In my Paintings, I try to give a personal perspective of what I see. I mainly focus on atmospheric perspective, light, mood, excitement, and passion about what I see. In addition, I try to create a sense of quietness and inner peace, which allows a moment of thought for the viewer, making the viewer the partner of my creation.

I draw things that trigger something in my inner world and connect with my inner truth; questions arise that need to be answered. It’s no longer focused on what to draw or paint, in what medium, or how; the only question that arises is “why.”
I like to experience and practice varied art mediums, including Drawings, Oil paintings, Prints (woodcuts, linoleum, and Mono-type), Watercolor, Pastel, and Ceramic sculpture.

As an observer, I don’t use my eyes to transfer what I see to the canvas superficially.
The look functions as a means of translating subjective feelings. I paint different spots of my house, but the house is not limited to the physical walls of the rooms. The people I chose to love, the way I love them, the trails I walk on, things I say, things I hear, and all are the raw material for my work. I walk around the neighborhood, look at the old buildings, sit in local cafes, meet people on the street, and these fill me with wonder.
My paintings are built slowly. I walk in the neighborhood, and like everyone else, the views are passing by, but sometimes I pay attention to a spot and think, “this could be a painting.”
I will go over that place repeatedly, having the same thought, and then one day, I will pull my drawing book and make a few drawings. Then, I will transfer it to canvas or paper at the studio and start playing with it. Usually, I’ll go back to look at the place a few times again during the process. I don’t try to copy the site but represent an isolated spot that people will pass by not paying attention to its beautiful existence.

Read the full article in Art Market Magazine Issue #66