Balkan Culture

Dorin Popa was born and raised in Satu Mare, north Transylvania. He completed his studies in Telecom Engineering in 2003, but ten years ago, while living in the UK, he steered toward becoming a representational artist. Eventually he settled in Bucharest, Romania with his wife and children, where he works and has established his own studio.

He mostly paints in the style of realism, trying to carefully observe the distinctive features of what he has in front of him, but at the same time he loves to add the "salt and pepper" of impressionist strokes and bold colors.

Popa did not have a formal artistic education prior to picking up a pencil with serious intent in 2010, when living in Reading, UK. He attended a couple of artistic groups in Reading between 2010-2013 (SketchPad, Rising Sun – Life Drawing class, Remenham Portrait Group), but is a mostly self-taught artist.

He has a very systematic approach to drawing and painting; he did not touch colors until he had spent enough time understanding drawing, proportions, perspective, volumes and tones, which, to Popa, are the intrinsic foundation of a good painting.

After completing "Cours de dessin" by Charles Bargue within a year, and after copying masters for another one, he began to tackle colors - watercolor at first, then acrylics and finally, a few years ago, he began experimenting with oil painting, which is where he ultimately settled.

Having a great respect for Barbizon realism and being inspired by British painters like Turner and Constable, he began to keep a sketchbook with him at all times, and register life scenes through an artistic lens.

With time, he grew increasingly curious about stepping out of the studio, in order to paint in the middle of nature, or on the streets of picturesque cities, capturing the most spontaneous expressions of light and beauty.

He enjoys plein air oil sketches the most, but if he is short on time, he is happy to collect as many sketches and photos as he can, and refine them back in the studio.

A few years ago, while traveling in Corfu for leisure, Popa discovered the huge visual and cultural potential of the island and started to create as many oil and pencil sketches as he could, which later developed into more elaborate paintings. He fell in love with the multitude of cultures and the variety of scenery of Corfu, and can't wait to be there painting again.

Most of the paintings that can be viewed below capture scenes from the island of Corfu.

More about the artist: Saatchi Art