U R I E L

His first love was the artistic drawing and painting; however, attracted by technology and exact sciences, Uriel Valentino became an engineer in radio electronics. During his university studies, he enjoyed sketching and painting faces, figures and nature. At that time U.V. also began creating graphic novels.
After graduation, U.V. had a successful corporate career as a software engineer in several telecom companies, including Motorola.
During the summer of 2007, Uriel had a series of expanded perception experiences; the events that followed convinced him to return and follow the path of his heart: the artistic painting. Today, U.V. has transformed into an artist, healer, and spiritual counselor.
U.V. holds a M.A.Sc. degree from Concordia University in Montreal, QC, Canada.

It was in his early teen years when the vibrant colors and light of the classic impressionism enchanted his heart forever. Uriel was highly influenced by the art of Monet, Sargent, Merritt Chase, Childe Hassam, Robinson, Thaulow. Among the contemporary artists, U.V. highly appreciates the art of Morgan Weistling, Jeffrey Watts, Serguei Toutounov, Clyde Aspevig, Alexei Antonov, Pino Daeni.

The art of U.V. can be characterized as contemplative, quiet and meditative, full of air and light. The close relationship with nature since earliest childhood developed his vivid perception of the world. Uriel grew up surrounded by vast mountains, distant horizons, rolling hills and sunlit meadows. Feelings of peace, beauty and harmony are transformed into forms and colors and become alive.

The preferred themes of U.V are landscapes and portraits.
Icons and mystic paintings, created in the Byzantine tradition or in medieval styles, are his true passion, though in small number.

U.V. is constantly improving his skills, perception, and understanding of art by taking classes and courses in painting and in history of art, and by self-study with books and videos.

U.V. works in oils on canvas or on wood. The painting process of Uriel is a meditative state, sometimes preceded by a prayer, allowing U.V. to enter in higher states of awareness, similarly to the exalted states the parchment scroll writers and icon writers use.