I aimed to create this blog with inspirational stories, feelings, people and experiences.

We all have areas in our lives that need improvement –whether it’s our careers, sports, looking for relaxation or finding new hobbies. Sometimes we need a little bit of inspiration before we can take any steps forward. It’s time to look around for people who are already on the self-improvement journey.

Looking around, I start the list of people to inspire us with Monica Ussia, originally from Madrid, currently residing in Bucharest, a Barclays ex-employee  and a Law and Business&Economics graduate who discovered her passion for painting and photography a few years ago, when she and her family left London to come to live in Bucharest.

The 2^nd time we met it was at their house for a dinner party and as soon as I entered the spacious living room I was surprised of so much tasteful art and beautiful paintings around me and even more surprised to find out that she was the artist.

On canvas- she prefers to focus on what is real. Here are her 3 beautiful children in vacation in Greece.

An avid photographer, Monica Ussia draws upon the landscape around her for subject matter and inspiration.

In the last 2-3 years Monica has been working on a series of paintings about Romania, choosing her subjects when travelling around the country with her family. Monica loves colours and textures. A colourful door in Sighisoara, a monk walking in front of one of the stunning painted monasteries in Bucovina, or a boat on the Danube are some of the examples of this Romanian series.

Monica works in oil , a medium which allows to give  a wide range of colours and a rich colour depth to her paintings.

Painting is sort of like learning a new language.

The artist portrays the calm peacefulness of water scenes.

Forever curious,  Monica studies the sky, the vegetation around, watching how they change with the capricious effect of the sun and the seasons.

Monica loves the impressionism movement, with its open composition, unusual visual angles, and bold use of colour. Van Gogh and Monet are some of her favourite paintings. Another of her favourite artists is Kandinsky, who is credited with creating the first purely abstract works.

Interplay of light and shadow, the arrangement of elements and color.

When talking to Monica she mentioned that in many ways she sees her work as an expression of scenes, people or objects she loves. She usually paints from her own photos, and all of her paintings mean something to her.

“Painting is something that I have always wanted to do. When I was living in London, I  didn’t have time as I had a full-time job, and a family! So when we came to Bucharest, I decided to join an art class to fulfil this lifetime ambition. It is a learning process, and I can see the progress in my work from the first paintings I made. Exhibiting my work at the Gallery last May was definitely one of the highlights of the year.”

Monica started painting in Galeria Basil, on Popa Soare Street, a few years ago. Their Art classes are taught by artist-teachers, and frequently inspired by art on view in the Gallery. Besides teaching, they inspire, challenge and encourage unleashing one’s creativity.

The classes explore the fascinating world of art and ideas found in the gallery’s collections and exhibitions.

You can enrich your weekends by joining one of their Art events in order to heighten your appreciation and understanding of the visual arts.

Could be your undiscovered passion waiting for you to unveil it.