Here's a great picture my friend, Razvan, holding one of his sculptures which is made out of wood coffee stirrers. He is a wonderful person, artist, and friend. His perceptions, insights and taste are always interesting for me to hear about and see in his work, in our conversations and correspondence. I really, really love his creations because they seem to come from a world of dreams. His images and sculptures are akin to those that were made seventy or so odd years ago by the dada-ists and surrealists in France, Germany, New York and elsewhere. I like his world of fantastic beauty and danger, a world where the mythical and mechanical, the spirited and human-made mingle and sometimes collide. His drawings on paper spill over with images that speak the language of the visual and dreamlike unconscious. Some images I read like words on a page and others are what they are and seep into my mind in an intuitive, pleasing and wordless way. Themes and images repeat themselves in his work: key holes, fish, eyes, mechanical gears, wheels and sensuous organic shapes both abstract and in human, animal and plantlike forms. Each drawing tells a story with the symbolic language that Razvan is speaking. I like to create stories about his pieces in my mind. What do you see in yours?
Razvan came to North America from Romania where my husband, Josh, met him while in the Peace Corps in the late 90's. I was lucky to have visited and gotten to know Razvan and his wife, Eleana, in Bucharest, Romania while they were still living there 6 or 7 years ago when Josh and I spent a month in Hungary and Romania. Our friends are the loveliest people and hosts, eager to show us around, make us comfortable, cook us delicious Romanian delicacies and share with us their cultural heritage. Razvan and Eleana are creative souls who openly talk about their interests, thoughts and feelings and I really love this about them.
Razvan lives with Eleana and son, Dari in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He's made his home there with his family for the past three years. He carves out a living for himself and his family as a mechanical designer. I admire that despite living a full and busy life, spending time with his family and earning a living as a designer, he still manages to make time for himself, his drawings, sculpture and music. There is a lot more art, music, and inspirations to check out on his website and blog:
Ochiade and
Ochiade: Blog
Please scroll down to see some examples of his artwork. The following are some of my favorite drawings of his. Enjoy!
"Horizontal Spring"
"Falls"
"Late Night Fish-o-Jazz"
"Status"
"The Legend"
"The Poem Who Stole the Horse"
