You describe yourself as an expressionist. What does expressionism mean to you on a personal level, and how does it guide the way you approach a blank canvas?
Expressionism, for me, is the passage between what I see, think, feel and believe, and the artwork that eventually emerges. It is the way I translate my inner world into paint, mixed media and whatever materials feel right in the moment.
Your exhibition Insight suggests an inward gaze. What was the first spark or realisation that set this body of work in motion?
The works in Insight come from many sparks - concepts, inspirations, moments, ventures. I am always exploring, and each piece begins from a different point of curiosity or reflection.
You mention that your paintings transform personal experience into expression. Can you share an example of a moment or emotion that found its way into one of the works in this show?
Music is one of those experiences. I love live music, and last year I attended the NAPA Jazz Assemblea Festival at Spazju Kreattiv in Valletta. It inspired several paintings, including Trumpet Player.
You work across different themes and mediums. What draws you to shift between them - restlessness, curiosity, or the demands of the subject itself?
Curiosity is important, but I am naturally drawn to certain subjects - abstracts, figures, Maltese landscapes and seascapes. I move between them depending on what calls me, and sometimes I combine them: abstract figures, abstract landscapes, and other hybrids that open new possibilities.
When you experiment with a new medium, what changes in your process? Do you plan, or do you let the material lead you?
New materials - whether new to me or new on the market - are essential because they open new visions. The process changes only slightly, but the final artwork often becomes richer. I let the material guide me as much as I guide it.
Your CV mentions that your works are held in public and private collections in Malta and abroad. How has exhibiting internationally influenced your artistic voice?
Showing work abroad allowed me to see what other artists are doing and to share my own work with new audiences. It encouraged me to engage more deeply with what is contemporary in art.
Expressionist work often involves a dialogue between internal and external worlds. How do you balance the two - the private impulse and the public act of painting?
I balance them by allowing both to be present from the start. On a blank canvas or paper, I explore different possibilities until the work finds its form. When it is finished, I share it with the public and see how it resonates with them.
Do you see Insight as a continuation of your previous work, or does it mark a shift in your artistic journey?
Insight continues my artistic journey. An artist is always exploring, always searching for new marks to make.
What role does intuition play in your practice? Do you paint from instinct, or do you build a structure before you begin?
It depends on the theme. If there is a clear subject, I begin with some structure, but instinct always takes over eventually. In abstracts or figures, instinct leads from the very beginning.
Many artists speak of a moment when a painting "clicks" into place. How do you know when a work of yours is finished?
The moment changes from work to work, but the truth is simple: the painting is finished when I am sure it is finished. Sometimes it takes a long process of trying different possibilities until I feel satisfied.
You've held several personal and collective exhibitions. What does exhibiting mean to you - is it a celebration, a confrontation, or simply part of the rhythm of being an artist?
For me, exhibiting is a celebration - a sign that the artist is moving forward. There is no confrontation. I believe in my art, and I am always searching both inside and outside myself to create it.
What do you hope visitors will feel or understand when they walk through Insight?
I hope they interact with the works in their own way. Not every piece needs to speak to everyone in the same manner. The beauty of art is that each person finds a different meaning.
Looking ahead, are there themes or mediums you haven't yet explored but feel drawn toward?
Not particularly. I experiment a lot with mixed media and prefer raw, traditional materials that allow me to achieve new results. As for themes, I follow what inspires or troubles me, inside and outside.
If you had to describe this exhibition in one sentence - not as a press release, but as a confession - what would you say?
Every painting has its own voyage and its own story to tell.
Carmel Bonello's exhibition Insight will take place at Gemelli Art Gallery, Ta'Qali from 9th - to 23 May.