Photo: Courtesy of Liora Greenstein
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.
I was born and grew up in Cape Town, South Africa. In 1990 I met my husband, Antony Greenstein, and moved to Hong Kong with him 6 weeks later. We have four miracle children, David Joshua (David Yehoshua), Jessica Cara (Yehudit Chen), Mathew Aaron (Matityahu Aharon), Benjamin Gil (Binyamin Gil) and one daughter, Rafaela Bo (Rafaela Batiya OBM) up in heaven. I devote my time, creative talent and energies into raising my family.
Being a spiritual soul, I derive my artistic inspiration from the world all around. From man-made structures and items to nature, colour, life, people and relationships. I have a keen ability to see through layers and an eye that doesn’t miss much.
I believe that my talent is a gift from G-d. When I paint, I combine my spiritual connections with earthly matters, thereby bringing a bit of Heaven down to earth, in a desire to have G-dliness and peace on earth.
In order to combine these in a balanced form, I start each painting with BH (in Hebrew) which means “with the help of G-d”. I then carefully draw one letter from the Hebrew alphabet in pencil and then paint it in with the ink that scribes use to write the Torah on parchment. This creates a unity between the paintings wherever they are. Hebrew letters have great mystical and numerical value and meaning. My actual painting method is one of extreme sensitivity and oneness with my materials. Each one of my paintings has a spiritual story, and many many layers. It is up to the viewer to look, see, contemplate and discover something new! Or if you need, simply ask!
What inspired you to become an artist?
Truthfully…it was a way to get out of French at school and it has been an inspirational journey ever since!
What is your specialty?
I specialise in oil painting, gouache painting and photography.
How and where do you work?
I work at home in my dining room, sharing and combining meals, family and home affairs with my painting.
What is the most indispensable item in your studio space?
Hard to say…all of it really. Hardpressed, I would say the light that streams in.
Where do you take your inspiration? Are you pursuing any themes?
Inspiration comes from light, colours, family, people, nature, relationships and a mission/purpose in life. My themes are all related to joy, peace, beauty of colour, nature and relationships and subjects from the Torah.
Do you do bespoke work?
Yes, I make customized gouache paintings and oil paintings. I always like to sit down with the client to get inspired by them and who they are before I create a painting for them.
What projects are you currently working on?
Currently I am working on three paintings. The first is titled “gratitude”, the second “I have“ and the third is a weaving together of broken pieces to make something beautiful! That being said I also pick up on older works and add to them.
What is or are your favourite item/s in your current collection?
I don’t have a favourite, they are all meaningful to me.
How do you know when a piece is finished?
My work is never “finished”…but something inside me tells me it’s time to stop.
What was the first artwork you ever sold?
A painting called “For Laura”.
Which project have you enjoyed working on the most so far?
I’ve enjoyed working on all of them. Producing beauty for others to enjoy is a happiness.
What do you want to achieve with your work and what are your wishes for the future?
That my works find homes where they are enjoyed, studied and give a sense of beauty and depth of life to their owners. In the process I share my earnings with others in need.
Where can we find your work?
You can find my artworks on my website: www.lioragreenstein.com and on my Instagram account @lioragreenstein.
Photos: Courtesy of Liora Greenstein
