"In his richly hued canvases, Nicu Liuta explores and expresses his own intense spirituality through a series of figurative and abstracted symbols and themes. Over time, Liuta has developed a personal iconography which represents both his individual devotion and didactic intentions. Focusing on the benevolence of mankind, beauty of nature, and joy of life, Liuta poetically renders expressions of love, both earthly and divine. As an artist and Orthodox priest, Liuta intends not only for his works to portray a visual beauty, but an underlying religious message. Biblical imagery combined with dynamic abstracted shapes, swirling movement, and sense of wonderment create canvases that are both aesthetically and spiritually enlightening. His works speak directly to the viewer, attempting to engage the soul in a sacred dialogue wherein he interprets his own powerful experiences through visual means.

   Deeply reminiscent of the mystical works of Marc Chagall, Nicu Liuta’s paintings also display his personal biography, which is inseparably intertwined with the history and tradition of his native homeland. Paints infused with the earthy colors of Romanian folk arts and textiles are texturally applied with a thick impasto brushstroke and draw upon the imagery of his childhood spent in a remote Eastern European village. In a place where time forgot, Liuta was able to expand his imagination, drawing artistic inspiration from the stars above, the land below, and the world around him. Like Chagall, Liuta’s paintings have a sense of nostalgia for the traditions of the past, but display a timeless and mysterious mysticism that easily translates to the modern viewer.

   Born under the Ceaucescu regime in a small mining town in Romania, Nicu Liuta’s artworks are profoundly influenced by his personal past and spiritual present. Widely collected and exhibited throughout North America and Europe, Nicu Liuta lives and works in Vancouver, British Columbia."