By Diana Bubulyte Wiese
Gintaras Repečka is a Lithuanian Canadian sculptor living and working on his art in Toronto Ontario Canada. His body of work includes mostly wood carvings but he has also created his art in a variety of other mediums such as stone and mixed media. He has an exhibition titled “Spirits of the Forests” currently on display at the Lithuanian Museum Archives of Canada (Kanados Lietuvių Muziejaus-Archyvas)
In a recent interview with Gintaras, we had an interesting conversation about his art and influences.
Background
Where are you from?
My parents were Lithuanians living in Lithuania and after the second world war my family emigrated from Lithuania to England where I was born. Later, my family emigrated again, this time to Canada when I was 15 years old.
Inspiration
Can you tell us about how you first became interested in art?
Throughout my life, I’ve gravitated toward a creative mode of thinking. I have always been interested in the natural world and the folklore and spirits that have been represented in various art forms. As a teenager, one of the first things that I was interested in were the carved wooden masks by the Haida peoples from the west coast of Canada. They reminded me of the wooden masks or “kaukes” that are worn and celebrated in Lithuania around Easter time.
Technique
How did you develop your art skills?
I am self taught and honed my sculpting skills through trial and error over time. I have a home studio where I do most of my work.
What is your favourite medium?
Wood. I’ve worked with many types of wood, from elm, pine, bog maple and oak burls to name a few. Each piece of wood has it’s own expression of colour and grain that speaks to me and gives me creative ideas on how I can bring a piece to life.
I have also more recently used other materials such as soapstone, alabaster and various mixed media.
What types of sculpture do you create?
I have made a wide variety of art including small statuettes, masks, bas relief carvings, larger statues and heads and various abstract forms.
What themes inform your work?
Overall it would be a reverence for the natural world, particularly forests and the spirits and oracles that inhabit them.
In my view, every piece of art bears the imprint of its creator—their personality, their motivations, and their unique lens on the world. When I craft a new work, I strive to channel these influences.
Impact and Audience
I do not name my pieces but leave it up to the viewer to gain their own understanding and appreciation of the work.
The Spirits of the Forests (Miškų Dvasios) exhibit will be open until July 31 2024
