I was born in a small town of Kraljevo, Serbia, in 1960. Now I live and work in Novi Sad. I am a self taught artist. I have been painting all my life. I studied and painted a lot until the age of 30, and then I married, got children and worked in the family owned company as a graphic designer. During that time, I painted rarely and just for my own sake, using it as an escape of daily troubles. In 2007, I finally got the chance to start painting seriously again, and have been doing it professionally since then.
Painting is the only work that never bores me, which always pushes me to seek for the new horizons; it makes me learn over and over again, and before and after all, it makes me feel alive. I love the Old Masters, the play between light and shadow, action, real life presentation. I paint in pencil, pastel, oils and acrylic. My favorite technique is painting in oils, with numerous thin layers of paint diluted with oil. Each layer must first dry before the next application. This is a labor and time intensive method; however, painting oils in layers is the true project for me and a real challenge with unlimited options which allows me to express whatever I want. I love to see high skills in painting and always try to achieve it. In spite of my twenty year abandonment, my reentry to the world of art was dramatic with works that reflect my knowledge of my subjects stemming from my life’s experiences.
My inspiration comes from the love and passion for the natural world and sharing the urgency for its conservation and respect.
All these are constantly observed and contribute to my eye for anatomy and movement. I am able to paint figures in movement equally as well as portraiture. My work is also noted for its use of colour and light, and my brush strokes.
In 2010, I decided to try to establish the international recognition. I have participated online and live exhibitions and my paintings have always been noticed both by critics and by audience. There are some of them:
At the website Paintings I Love, my painting “Elegance” is one of the paintings with most affirmative comments. http://www.paintingsilove.com/image/show/15086/elegance?path=artist&artist=gile
In July 2010, my painting “Nude” won the second place in the Art of Nudity FAA contest, among the 171 entries, voted by the general public
In February 2011, 5716 works attended February Saatchi online Showdown. Only 128 of them entered the finals. My painting "Spirit" managed to advance among the 64 with the most votes.
In February 2011, my paintings, “Spirit" and "Tzar”, received Jury Special Recognition in the 12th Annual Realism Juried Online International Art Exhibition, which was promoted worldwide on www.upstreampeoplegallery.com. This is what the juror, Mr. Laurence Bradshaw, Curator, Professor of Art, said about the paintings: "...DRAGAN GILIC of Novi Sad, Serbia shows his devotion to equine works. His work “Spirit” captures the mood with his excellent rendering in oil. His painting “Tzar” is a fine example of his attention to detail as seen especially seen in the treatment of the fur.”

In March 2011, I became a member of International Guild of Realism (www.realismguild.com). This is their comment upon acceptance: “Dear Gile, Thank you for applying for membership into the International Guild of Realism. From what we can see from the images you submitted via email and those we saw on your website, your work is of very high quality with regards to craftsmanship, composition and creativity. We especially enjoyed viewing your paintings entitled “Master of the Forest,” “Shy” and “Tzar.” Congratulations! Our membership committee was quite impressed with your artwork and résumé. You certainly represent the style of artwork we seek to promote through museum exhibitions, gallery shows, and marketing articles. Therefore, we would like to officially invite you to become a member of the International Guild of Realism...”
In May 2012, I participated for their Juried Annual Exhibition and my painting “Spirit” is accepted and will be displayed at Jones & Terwilliger gallery in Carmel, California. I am among 75 artists selected. The artwork is among 100 paintings chosen for the Exhibition, through two stages of a rigorous jury process. The exhibition will be held September from 7 – 30, 2012. http://www.jones-terwilliger-galleries.com/IGOR/openIGOR.html
In June 2012, I was invited by the executive director of American Academy of Equine Art, Ms Frances Clay Conner, for the Fall Juried Exhibition, and my work “Wind Hunter” was accepted. The Exhibition will be held in Georgetown Arts & Cultural Center, Georgetown, KY, from September 15 - October 24, 2012. http://www.aaea.net/paintings/paintings/16141476

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