Origins of a Lifelong Visual Calling
From her earliest memories, Angelė Šimoliūnienė’s relationship with drawing has been instinctive and enduring, rooted in childhood fascination and sustained by an inner necessity to create. Born in Lithuania, she discovered early that visual expression was not simply a pastime but a natural language through which she could process the world. Even during periods when drawing receded into the background of daily life, the impulse never disappeared. Instead, it remained dormant, quietly shaping her perception and sensitivity. This foundational connection to art established a framework that would later expand into a multidimensional practice informed by education, philosophy, and lived experience, allowing her to approach painting not as a skill acquired but as a calling resumed.
Her professional path initially unfolded in the field of education, where she worked as a teacher of Lithuanian language and literature. This engagement with narrative, symbolism, and textual meaning deeply influenced her way of thinking and later resonated within her visual work. While teaching, she made the decisive choice to enroll in the Music Academy to study directing, an experience that sharpened her understanding of structure, rhythm, and dramatic tension. These elements would eventually find a parallel in her paintings, where composition and movement guide the viewer’s attention much like a carefully constructed сценa guides an audience through emotion and meaning.
Šimoliūnienė’s intellectual curiosity continued to widen over the years, leading her to sustained studies in psychology grounded in both Western and Eastern philosophy, as well as medicine, genetics, art therapy, neuroeducation, and art history. These disciplines did not exist separately in her mind; they formed an interconnected system through which she explored human consciousness, emotion, and spiritual awareness. When she returned fully to painting eleven years ago after a significant pause, she did so with a depth of understanding that transformed her artistic practice into a synthesis of knowledge and intuition. Her canvases became spaces where education, experience, and inner perception converged into a singular visual language.
Angelė Šimoliūnienė: Painting as a Conduit of Energy and Thought
Central to Angelė Šimoliūnienė’s creative philosophy is the belief that painting is an act guided by energy rather than by deliberate planning. She does not approach the surface with a fixed image in mind; instead, she waits for a physical and emotional signal that tells her the moment to begin has arrived. Sensations in her body, particularly in her hands, initiate the process, suggesting that the work must emerge immediately and without resistance. During these moments, conscious control recedes, allowing subconscious impulses to direct movement, color, and form. The resulting image is not constructed but received, carrying within it information that remains embedded in the finished painting.
Her works reflect a conviction that the visible world is only one layer of existence. Through painting, she communicates her understanding that human beings are surrounded by unseen forces that continuously interact with thoughts and actions. According to her worldview, positive intentions create a protective field of energy, while negative thoughts attract destructive influences. This ethical and spiritual dimension is inseparable from her visual output. Each painting functions as both an image and a statement, revealing how inner states shape external experience. Viewers are encouraged to stand several meters away from her works, allowing the full energetic structure of the composition to unfold and affect perception on an intuitive level rather than through close analytical inspection.
Over eleven years of working primarily with acrylic on paper, Šimoliūnienė has produced approximately six hundred paintings, each formed through this intuitive process. She often paints almost without looking, trusting the movement of her hand more than conscious observation. Afterward, she reflects on what has emerged, treating the image as a message to be interpreted rather than a product to be judged. In this sense, her paintings resemble living entities that arrive through her and then are released into the world, much like children who grow beyond their origin. This approach positions her art not as representation but as transmission, where meaning exists simultaneously within the artist, the artwork, and the viewer.
Spiritual Duality and the Human Condition on Canvas
Angelė Šimoliūnienė’s paintings consistently return to the theme of duality, particularly the coexistence of good and evil forces that shape human life. Rather than presenting these ideas in literal or narrative terms, she allows them to surface through color relationships, directional movement, and symbolic motifs. Bright, expansive areas often interact with denser, more restrained zones, creating visual tension that mirrors moral and emotional conflict. These contrasts do not resolve into simple conclusions; instead, they reflect the ongoing balance that individuals must navigate through their thoughts and actions. Her work proposes that awareness itself is a protective force, encouraging viewers to examine their inner orientation toward the world.
Her interest in psychology and philosophy informs this exploration without overwhelming it. Years of study in Third Millennium Psychology, combined with her engagement with Eastern thought, medicine, and neuroeducation, have given her a nuanced understanding of how consciousness operates. This understanding translates into paintings that address emotional states and spiritual questions simultaneously. Symbols appear layered and open-ended, allowing multiple readings that shift according to the viewer’s own experiences. Rather than dictating meaning, Šimoliūnienė creates conditions for reflection, inviting the audience into an active dialogue with the image and with themselves.
A particularly significant manifestation of this approach is the painting titled “Human Life.” Created without prior intention, the work later revealed itself as a portrait encompassing the entire life journey of her deceased husband, from childhood onward. The realization came only after the painting was complete, highlighting the depth of subconscious guidance within her process. This work gained exceptional recognition, being selected for the World Art Atlas and repeatedly awarded in international contexts. For Šimoliūnienė, its importance extends beyond accolades, as it became a tribute to a man whose contributions as a scientist and doctor of medical sciences were insufficiently acknowledged during his lifetime. Through this painting, personal loss, memory, and universal human experience converge into a single, powerful visual statement.
Angelė Šimoliūnienė: Recognition, Influence, and Continuing Purpose
The scope of Angelė Šimoliūnienė’s artistic presence is reflected in her extensive exhibition history and international recognition. She has held sixty five solo exhibitions across Lithuania and participated in sixty seven galleries and expos abroad, establishing a sustained dialogue with diverse audiences. Her paintings have been featured in forty one art catalogs, books, and magazines, confirming their relevance within contemporary art discourse. Participation in global and international competitions has further highlighted her work, resulting in prizes from twenty three competitions. These achievements demonstrate not only productivity but also consistency in artistic vision and reception over time.
Her contributions extend beyond visual art into education and cultural life. For her directing work, she received a medal from the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture, acknowledging her impact within that field. Additionally, her educational activities and efforts to help people were honored with the Order of St. Princess Olga. These recognitions underline the interconnected nature of her career, where teaching, directing, and painting are expressions of a shared purpose. She has often reflected that she did not anticipate a life of continuous study and knowledge-sharing, yet this path became central to her identity and mission. Painting, in this context, serves as another form of education, offering insight rather than instruction.
Today, Šimoliūnienė views her paintings as active participants in the spiritual and intellectual growth of those who encounter them. They are intended to awaken intuition, encourage analysis, and elevate awareness, guiding viewers toward a deeper understanding of themselves and the unseen dimensions of existence. Influenced by her inner world and subconscious impulses, as well as by a spiritual affinity with the Lithuanian artist M. K. Čiurlionis, she continues to work within a distinct and personal style. Her creative journey remains open-ended, sustained by the same energy that first guided her hand in childhood and continues to flow into each new work.
