“Come, my friends,
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.”
Lord Tennyson
'Tis not too late to seek a newer world.
Push off, and sitting well in order smite
The sounding furrows; for my purpose holds
To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths
Of all the western stars, until I die.”
Lord Tennyson
About me and my art
Agnes Preszler realist painter, portraitist
Welcome on my website. Please see my gallery (paintings, drawings and digital art). You may also leave a feedback. If you wish to buy a painting or make me paint a portrait of yourself or your beloved, you may contact me here.
Scroll down for my short biography.
Scroll down for my short biography.
Q&A - Interview with Agnes Preszler realist painter
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What is art for you?
Doing art is an everyday experience for me, a struggle to become a better artist. I am a selftaught artist so it is very difficult. Fortunately there are many resources that a selftaught artist may use: from books, dvds, art magazines, museum visits etc. to free resources like youtube videos or many websites that offer free tutorials. Please check out the recommended resources on this page.
When I do not do art I read about art or speak or think about art, anyway art is the center of gravity of my thoughts and actions.
When I do not do art I read about art or speak or think about art, anyway art is the center of gravity of my thoughts and actions.
Figurative or non-figurative art?
Absolutely figurative. I can't even imagine to do abstract art, though I use some kind of abstraction in zones of the painting that are of secondary importance, while I use realism in the important ones.
So, it's realism.
Yes, the major part of my art production is realistic. I like to achieve a good likeness but do not like photorealism as I feel it's pure technique and less or no creativity, in my opinion it doesn't let much space for artistic self-expression. Also I don't want to become the slave of my paintings. I admire classicist art, but I love spontaneity so I tend in direction of the "alla prima" painting that means preferring to suggest than actually represent. So I do realism as far as I enjoy it and I think it necessary but no more.
What do you paint?
I paint various subjects as landscapes, still lifes, nudes but my favourite ones are portraits that I am enjoying especially. I try to achieve not only the likeness of the model, that I guarantee, but to put a "soul" in the portrait. My models are of any age, 0-100 years old. I like this special communication between the subject and myself that I try to register in the portrait and so transmit to my public.
Why do you paint?
Painting is not relaxation to me, is not a hobby, it's a mission. It demands a total involvement. I feel excited and challenged by the subject, especially by human faces, I think to have an eye for beauty that maybe is hidden to others and the capacity to express this beauty. Actually it is elaborating and sharing the beauty of this world, in particular, that related to humanity. I feel sympathy and empathy for my models, I feel their soul and the same time I feel myself mirrored in their faces. Painting I express myself as a painter and a human being. It consumes my resources, it is a great effort, sometimes frustrating, but in the end it is very rewarding. I feel like a magician, something wonderful is happening while I paint, something new is coming to life. It is a marvelous sensation. Also, by painting I feel member of the brothership of painters, including the greatest masters of past and present.
Does art to be qualified?
Real art (any discipline, any tendency) has an inner quality, a spirit, an energy in it. It communicates what the artist intends to share with the viewers. It has a message for you. If you have sensibility you feel it, you understand it.
Should art be beautiful?
It depends what do you mean by beautiful. If it is about the beauty in the world, the human condition, for me it is beautiful. Beauty in itself may be meaningless, while maybe a face of an old man or woman, full of wrinkles may be beautiful. It depends not only from the likeness but the interpretation of the artist, the message inside the image. Also, taste change during history, I personally find romantic and rococo paintings so outdated, so distant from our world today, while for example the Fayoum mummia portraits are extraordinarily actual because they communicate a simple and human beauty. The same is valid for Renaissance and realist paintings. In modern art happens frequently that the painter (often without mastering painting techniques) wants only shock the viewers without identifying himself with the message. This is simply manipulation and it is not honest, it is not art. For me art has also a mission, has to communicate that life is beautiful and it has also a religious content. Real art connects with the divine, it should be beautiful in spiritual sense.
About the artist
Agnes Preszler was born in 1961 in Budapest, where in 1988 she has obtained the ITA (Information Technology Architect) degree at the Budapest Business School (College of Finance and Accountancy). In Hungary she has worked in computer centres and at the Hungarian Television of State.
In 1990 she married an Italian citizen and since then she lives in Veroli (Lazio), 80 km from Rome.
She is a webmaster for hobby, but accepts also commissions. She takes care of websites also for very prestigious clients like the Museum of the Ancient Book in Villa d'Este, Tivoli and the Casamari Abbey.
She is also correspondant of the Ciociaria Oggi daily newspaper and collaborates with the Civis cultural magazine; both are printed in about 6.000 copies. In 2005 she has obtained the Inars Ciociaria international journalistic prize.
She has translated in Italian many poems of Hungarian classic literature, they are published on her personal website and also in the Hungarian Electronic Library.
In 2007, on commission of the Kalligram Editor (Bratislava - Budapest) she has translated in Hungarian "Impure acts - Amado mio" of Pier Paolo Pasolini. The book has been presented in June 2008 in Budapest during the 79th Week of the Book. This is the first literary work of Pasolini ever published in Hungarian language.
She is an art-lover, she has written a great number of articles about expositions and other cultural events.
In 2003, after 30 years of artistic inactivity, she has returned to draw, learning the use of the digital tablet. In September 2008 she has begun to realize works with traditional techniques like pencil and charcoal drawing and oil painting. Her works are published by a large number of online galleries, she receives every day invitations for exhibitions in Italy and abroad. She is member of various cultural associations.
In 1990 she married an Italian citizen and since then she lives in Veroli (Lazio), 80 km from Rome.
She is a webmaster for hobby, but accepts also commissions. She takes care of websites also for very prestigious clients like the Museum of the Ancient Book in Villa d'Este, Tivoli and the Casamari Abbey.
She is also correspondant of the Ciociaria Oggi daily newspaper and collaborates with the Civis cultural magazine; both are printed in about 6.000 copies. In 2005 she has obtained the Inars Ciociaria international journalistic prize.
She has translated in Italian many poems of Hungarian classic literature, they are published on her personal website and also in the Hungarian Electronic Library.
In 2007, on commission of the Kalligram Editor (Bratislava - Budapest) she has translated in Hungarian "Impure acts - Amado mio" of Pier Paolo Pasolini. The book has been presented in June 2008 in Budapest during the 79th Week of the Book. This is the first literary work of Pasolini ever published in Hungarian language.
She is an art-lover, she has written a great number of articles about expositions and other cultural events.
In 2003, after 30 years of artistic inactivity, she has returned to draw, learning the use of the digital tablet. In September 2008 she has begun to realize works with traditional techniques like pencil and charcoal drawing and oil painting. Her works are published by a large number of online galleries, she receives every day invitations for exhibitions in Italy and abroad. She is member of various cultural associations.
