The Romanian-born Hungarian-American painter Anne Marie Adonyi (1953-2011) found the parallel between painting and tapestry in a natural way. Perhaps best known for her skilled manipulation of brush and paint and fiber, her work is greatly influenced by forms in nature and the splendor of ancient city-scapes. Adonyi's intense and curious flame-like figural paintings blend Byzantine and other balanced compositions, bathed in rich, natural colors.
Adonyi's work has a distinct vitality relating to ancient icons, mosaics and illuminated manuscripts, while presenting a new view of reality that is solely hers. The diversity of Romanian/Hungarian cultural traditions are reflected simultaneously in many of her collections."Textile icons in oil are Adonyi's special gift to the world of art. Her canvases capture both the mystery and the immediacy of a unique spiritual vision, at once geographic and intimate." (Dr. James Watson, 2006)
Much of Adonyi's work stemmed from her great passions: God, nature, people, and the love of art. Adonyi suffered life-long health problems, many of which stemmed from a heart surgery in her childhood years. Surprisingly, virtually none of these issues are reflected in her work. Instead she chose to capture, illuminate, and interpret the beauty of the world around her; focusing on her faith in depictions of attentive angels, the hope of heaven, and inspired Biblical passages.
Adonyi suggested, "Through my work, I try to provide a view into the visions I’ve had concerning my personal relationships with the places I’ve seen. My personal point of view on these trips and experiences mean a lot to me. My art also reflects and re-interprets themes in art history. This can only expose a small portion of my experiences, which allows for plenty of space for individual imagination, leaving room to explore, discover, and create for yourselves.” (Adonyi, 2009)
During her lifetime, Adonyi created more than 600 paintings, thousands of drawings and sketches, and numerous tapestries, textiles, and mosaics related to her vision and experiences. After attending the Grigorescu Academy of Fine Arts in Bucharest and learning traditional tapestry techniques, Adonyi immigrated to Israel, where she created one of her first major pieces "Tapestry of Hope" in 1985. From that time on, Adonyi's art became increasingly prolific; she systematically drew, painted, and wove at any opportunity.
“The flow of the figures across the painting's surface keeps the eye moving horizontally and vertically in a manner peculiar to a 16th century tapestry. Although the figures are only suggested, they create a superb illusion of human an celestial activity in the context of medieval tournament. Adonyi endows the imagery with unexpected animation by assembling a multitude of human profiles facing different directions. The flatness of the icon image, negating volume and space, is particularly suited to Adonyi's work." (Jacqueline Hall, 1986)
Today, ten years after her sudden passing, her works continue to be admired by art enthusiasts and to inspire many. Her remaining family; husband, daughter, and son-in law, hope and maintain an interest in sharing Adonyi's art with the world. A scholarship has begun in her honor at the Fine Arts school of the University of Texas at Austin. We are currently raising funds for the scholarship and so any proceeds from sales will go there as well as explicit donations. If you are interested in donating, please follow this link. Thank you.
