“Vibrant, energetic, voluptuous and immediate” says curator Marika Azzopardi of Outset, the 2023 exhibition of local landscapes by Maltese artist Steve Sciberras at the Malta Society of Arts.

“Any place that is related to nature gives me a sense of serenity and a strong desire to paint” explains Sciberras. “Landscapes and nature pause time for a while, and give us time to reflect and admire our surroundings. Hopefully the public will be more concerned about what to leave to future generations, rather than what to take. This is a global problem, but it is more critical in our small country.”

Steve Sciberras studied painting under Dione Borg at the Malta School of Art. Inspired by ‘painter of light’ Joaquin Sorolla and the colours of Claude Monet and Edgar Degas, he also admires contemporary artists Haidee - Jo Summers, Ingrid Christensen and Izumi Kogahara for their loose style and vivid hues.

Using ‘wet-on-wet’ or ‘alla prima’ techniques, oil painter Sciberras is known for his warm palette and painterly style. Besides landscape, Sciberras also works in other genres, including portraiture and still-life, both in his studio and ‘en plein-air.’ Sciberras describes his practice as a ‘constant exploration of light and shadow.’