Arno

A large part of a painter’s life involves sketching. These sketches aren’t always very clear or meaningful at the time, but you never know what idea might emerge from a quick sketch jotted down on the corner of a table. We then close the sketchbook, often with mixed feelings, sometimes even frustrated by our lack of inspiration. Then, several years later, we stumble upon that same old, forgotten sketchbook, and as we flip through it, we realize that our “lack of inspiration” back then is now a true revelation. That was the case for Arno, the demon. Born from a tiny sketch, which was originally meant to be a sea creature. So endearing with his expressive eyes (much more expressive than I’d initially anticipated) and his melancholic—even love-struck—smile. And as cute as this scrawny demon may be, even today I don’t trust him. He strikes me as an ultra-sensitive, immensely romantic soul, whose moral compass becomes infinitely flexible when passion takes over. Truly, one of my favorite paintings.