DORIAN ITEN

SHORT BIOGRAPHY
I was born in Austria in 1985 to my Swiss mother and Polish father. Living in Switzerland since the age of five I moved to Florence, Italy in January 2006 to study under Maestro Micheal John Angel and Jered Woznicki at the Angel Academy of Art.

I train passionately to become a professional painter and illlustrator.

INFLUENCES
Growing up near a forest I have had a deep love for mother nature from as long as I can remember. Also, in early childhood I was impressed with the self-discipline and accomplishments of monks and dreamed about going to a tibetan buddhist monestary. My family or what was left of it by then didn’t belong to any particular religion at that point so thinking back to it now I’m not sure where that wish came from. Well I haven’t gone to a monestary so far but my interest in spirituality and the “human experience” that had been somewhat suppressed during my high-school years is now coming back. At the same time I’m quite rational and often take a scepticly scientific stance. I seem to have a insatiable curiosity in me that urges to question and disobey and ask and think and change and seek and grow.

A vast amount of artists inspire and influence my working and thinking. Among them are many of the “Old Masters”, some 18th/19th century realists and orientalists as well as various illustrators, many contemporary.
Vermeer, Millais, Velázquez, Rubens, Bouguereau, Gérôme, Prud’hon, Mucha and Frazetta, to name a few.
Some of the contemporary artists that are meaningful to me are included in the “Inspiration” link-list to the right of this page. Important ones are: Linda Bergkvist, Craig Mullins, Daniel E. Greene, James Jean, Jeremy Lipking, Jacob Collins and Drew Struzan.

The writings of Andrew Loomis, Robert Beverly Hale and Harold Speed (among others) have proved to be highly stimulating & informative.

LEARNING HOW TO DRAW
I walk through the world with open eyes, often marveling at quiet phenomena other people seem to pass by without noticing. The more I learn to use my eyes the more beauty I can see in this startling physical world we live in. I try to keep a sketchbook with me most of the time and draw whatever catches my attention, comes to my mind or touches my heart. For me truth, beauty and love is the same thing and merging with them again and again is what keeps my fire burning.

Becoming good at drawing demands practice. There are uncountable similarities to music and – maybe surprisingly at first – martial arts. Some people seem to ignore that learning a skill or craft involves the mind just as much as the hand. Reflexion and careful self-assessment are as important as the actual process of drawing & painting. Also, knowing one’s goals is helpful. Having a vision.

“If one does not know to which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” _-Seneca

My vision is to inspire.