"Cortona, Italy." Yasharel, oil on canvas. Yasharel is featured this month at St. Simons Island's Left Bank Gallery.

If you go Yasharel's one-man show at Left Bank Gallery will open with a reception July 19. For further information about the show and the artist, contact Left Bank Gallery at 800-336-9469 or (912) 638-3017.

About five years ago I received a call from artist Yasharel Manzy. After his preliminary introductory comments, he jumped quickly to the punch line by boldly stating, "If you don't carry my work, the gallery will be making a very big mistake." Unshaken by this bravado, I responded with the standard request for slides or photos of recent work. When the slides arrived, I loved what I saw and was on the phone within minutes arranging to meet the creator of these exciting works.

Since this time, Yasharel, as he is known because his works are signed with his first name only, has more than fulfilled his prophecy to the Mildred Huie's Left Bank Art Gallery. Last year he was its top-selling artist and gained the much sought-after distinction of being named Emerging Artist by "Art & Antiques" magazine. He has had 20 one-man shows hosted by the galleries that represent him.

Recently I had the opportunity to spend a few quiet moments with Yasharel to discuss where he has been and where he sees himself now and in the future. As one can tell from his answers to my questions, Yasharel is as expressive when he speaks as when he paints.

Q. You were unknown 10 years ago as a painter, isn't that correct?

A. "You are absolutely right. Most people know that up until five years ago I was involved in the Oriental rug business. Then, one day at work I started to paint. I threw everything out of my office and changed it into an atelier. The feeling was absolutely overwhelming! For the first time in 15 years, I could not wait until I got to work, that it was really not work anymore."

Q. Why all of a sudden did you have this change of direction in your life?

A. "Well, you know prior to this I attempted to paint twice. When I was 12 I tried painting for a few weeks. The only other attempt was at age 33. Both times, for a lack of knowledge of how to paint and not having the patience, I abandoned the idea. So twelve years ago, I suddenly realized time was running out. I had no choice. If I was going to be a painter, this was the time."

Q. You said that your earlier attempts failed in part because you did not know how to paint. This time how did you learn to paint?

A. "I mostly taught myself. I painted seven days a week for almost 10 years. I did take some lessons, too. These were mostly portrait classes from Marc Chatov (a renowned Atlanta painter)."

Q. How does one go about teaching oneself to paint?

A. "By copying the masters over and over and hoping that, if you are lucky enough, your own style will surface. It is the same with music; you practice playing Mozart, for example, until you play it well."

Q. Where do you get most of your inspiration?

A. "From life as a whole, and of course from the great painters."

Q. Among the Great Painters you refer to, which one has influenced your paintings the most?

A. "I find it extremely difficult to restrict my answer to just one artist. It is like choosing a favorite among your children or pets. I am forever indebted to van Gogh, Mattise, Picasso and Gauguin, but if I absolutely had to choose just one, it would be almighty van Gogh."

Q. Do you usually have an image in your mind's eye before you begin to paint?

A. "It varies. For instance, one day I decide to paint a landscape because I just feel I need to do one. So, I start with a fair amount of coherence and then halfway through the painting, for some reason unknown to me, I change direction. It is like becoming a different person. So, here I am with this painting that is totally different from the so-called coherent one. To put it differently, I prefer accident or unconscious results to deliberate brush strokes - this is more of who I really am."

Q. Do you try and tell a story through a painting?

A. "Not that I am aware of. By story if you mean message or meaning, I must say not. However, since everyone has a story to tell, maybe this is how I tell my story."

Q. Following up on this idea, what are you trying to express with your paintings.

A. "Paintings are my opinions. A statement that I wrote a few years ago sums it all up for me. I have it in one of my brochures.

'One must re-create or reinvent oneself through art. Each painting tells the story of who one is at that particular moment. It is like stopping time and bringing one's emotions to a permanent state...'

In fact, I believe, one can reach the psyche of the painter through his paintings. Every brush stroke, nuance of color, every habit, idiosyncrasy, all the shortcomings, everything that constitutes a human being will be brought out with the brush and the paint."

Q. Are you always happy with your finished paintings, or maybe I should ask, are you always pleased with the result?

A. "I'm glad that you asked me this question. Satisfaction and joy over my paintings is always ephemeral. For instance, I could finish a painting tonight and get ecstatic to the point of intoxication. Then on the next day, I feel so uncertain and hopeless and have a strong urge to start a new painting, hoping it will be more to my liking and possibly will break new ground. In a way, I welcome this feeling of uncertainty and insecurity. A lack of these emotions may very well be an artist's true downfall."

Q. If your paintings could see the faces or listen to the hearts and voices of their viewers, what would you like them to learn?

A. "That I have brought someone a moment of exhilaration or have touched someone's heart."

Q. And now for my final question, where do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years?

A. "Hard to say for somebody who cannot think beyond the next 24 hours!"