As an artist hailing from Romania, I've always been aware of my passion for art. In my childhood years, my games didn't involve make-believe roles such as doctors or princesses, but rather a paintbrush and a blank canvas.

Post graduating from the Academy of Fine Arts, Bucharest, the journey to establish myself in the art world was anything but smooth. I dabbled in various roles such as graphic and web design, even cake decorating, to make ends meet. That is, until I met my husband, a church painter. This encounter inspired me to quit my job and embark on a journey to fulfill my dream of becoming a full-time artist, alongside my husband.

I found a particular fondness for painting on glass, and this soon expanded to various other mediums like mirrors, wooden boxes, and vases. I delight in transforming these everyday items into otherworldly art pieces. Fantasy art holds a special place in my heart, as I enjoy weaving little tales through my art. My burgeoning social media presence and Etsy shop have significantly helped me edge closer to realizing my aspiration of being an independent artist.

Glass painting is a demanding craft. Unlike canvas or paper, the surface is not flat and less absorbent. Achieving a realistic effect requires applying multiple layers of color, each one requiring extreme care to avoid washing away the previous layer. Yet, once the final result emerges, the sheer satisfaction and awe it inspires in the viewers makes it all worthwhile.

Each painting's completion time can vary, usually demanding a few hours for the image and a day for the varnish to dry thoroughly. I work with non-toxic acrylics and use varnish to protect the painting, applied judiciously on the painted surface to ensure the glass retains its transparency.

Nature is a central theme in my art, with animals, flowers, and mushrooms being my preferred subjects. The hummingbird is a recurring character in my works, symbolizing, for me, the freedom of art and color. But in this post, I've shifted my focus to painting a variety of mushrooms.