Have you heard of Contemporary Art Painted on Metal? Alex Sasha Toporovsky has been an artist for over twenty years. Recently he has combined his two passions: oil painting and metal. By combining the two he has developed a very unique art form that is not to be found anywhere else. Today we interviewed Sasha for our blog to learn more about his unique art and talents.
1. Sasha, when did you start drawing? How young were you?
I was born in the Ukraine into a family of artist’s. My grandfather and uncle both made a living as artists, and my father had very good artistic skills as well even though he did not pursue art. As a kid I would draw often as most kids do.
2. What inspired you to become an artist?
It wasn’t until I graduated high school and headed for college that I needed to figure out what I was going to major in. I guess in the back of my mind I was always attracted to art and painting, but made a decision to go into Interior design. My teacher at the time noticed I had very good drafting and rendering skills, and suggested that I take art classes in addition to interior design. I followed his advice and in turn found my passion. That year I switched my major and never looked back.
3. Tell us about this interesting media you work in on metal. How did you come up with this style?
About a year ago I was approached by the CEO of a commercial real estate company. He’s an art collector with a taste for unique art. At the time he was looking for several pieces to hang in his lobby at his headquarters. The lobby is very modern and incorporates many steel and glass elements.
I walked away from our initial meeting wondering what I could offer a man with such eclectic tastes. I remembered that during our meeting he showed me the paintings he has collected over the years. The images where on his I phone and while we were thumbing through them pictures of his koi fish came up.
I have had the idea of painting on metal for some time now, but until that very moment I did not have an opportunity to put these thoughts into action. I decided to make a sample for him and myself. This would give me a chance to see how the paint would react with the metal, and to see if this was even possible. I wanted to create something that was very modern and avangard, but not completely abstract.
The time had come to put my theory of painting on metal and my love for Koi fish into one. The minute I laid paint to metal, I realized the amazing potential this medium had. In all my years of painting I have never done anything that felt so right.
4. What is your favorite artwork that you created so far? And why?
Since I get commissioned to paint everything from fine art to murals, I have had a chance to create many wonderful works of art for many different people and many different situations. However I feel that on a personal level the metal paintings for me are dreariest to my heart. Not only do I have incredible fun creating them, but I love to see the reaction they invoke in people who are seeing them for the first time.
The paintings are so uniquely different then most anything you see out there at the moment that they tend to draw huge crowds when I display them. I love interacting with people and letting them know about what I am doing and where I am heading with my art. My current works on metal have given me the platform to do the very thing that I love so much.
5. Who is your ideal client (or a space) that you would love to create for?
I feel that my ideal clients are people who enjoy art and feel that it is as essential to their lives. I have had many clients and collectors tell me that they enjoy my works every day. The art has become an intricate part of the family and that they couldn’t imagine not having it in their homes or businesses. Knowing that I bring something special into people’s lives is what motivates me to paint. I love sharing my love of art with the world.
To learn more about Sasha’s art go to his website www.sashafineart.com
To ask us questions about your commercial interior design project or to get a free consultation from Mindful Design Consulting, click HERE.
Also, take a look at “Branding By Interior” e-book, the only book written on this subject at this time. It brings insight on how you can turn your business into a market-dominating competitor by using human cognitive responses.
I especially love the last abstract piece of the fish. It is so detailed and beautifully done!
http://www.chromametalart.com/abstract-metal-wall-art
I have had the opportunity to see several art creations by Sasha. I’m amazed at the variation of styles, and medias he has mastered.
Glad to learn more about the man. Great article.
Those paintings look amazing! I bet they’re even better in person. What a cool idea!
Thrilled that you are featuring Sasha here. I own one of his original pieces and am thrilled to have it in my collection. His art really adds to the essence of our house.
Sasha’s attention to depth and color is amazing!
I love the 3D look of movement with the painting on the metal. Incredible!