Minister Francis Zammit Dimech viewing my Neo-Cubist paintings at one of the collective exhibitions
Looking back, I can still see the first pencil sketches I made as a boy — faint outlines, uncertain lines, but full of wonder. I had no idea then that those early marks would become the foundation of a lifelong relationship with art. They were simple drawings, inspired by the world around me, but to me they held the mystery and magic of creation. And they became my quiet refuge — a space of stillness and discovery.
As I grew older, life took me through a demanding academic path. I pursued engineering — a field rooted in logic, precision, and structure. It became my profession, and for many years, my primary identity in society. But art never left my side. It was always there, waiting for me at the end of a long day, or on quiet weekends when the world slowed down. In those moments, I would return to my paints, my canvases, and let emotion take the lead where logic once ruled.
People often ask me how I managed to balance a technical career with a creative pursuit like painting. For me, they were never in conflict. If anything, they complemented each other. Engineering gave me a sharp eye for structure, form, and detail — skills that translated beautifully into my compositions. Art, in return, gave me the freedom to express what could not be put into numbers or plans. It allowed me to bring feeling into form — to give soul to structure.
Over time, my confidence grew. I began to show my work, first privately, then publicly. I still remember the feeling of standing in front of my own paintings during my first exhibition — a mixture of pride and vulnerability. It wasn’t just about showing a finished piece. It was about sharing a part of myself with others. The response was promising. People connected with the stories my brushstrokes carried, the layers of feeling beneath the paint, and that connection gave me the courage to keep going.
From there, I participated in collective exhibitions, where I learned the power of dialogue between artists. Later, I began to mount solo exhibitions — carefully curated bodies of work that revealed my evolving vision. Each show became not just a display of art, but a conversation with the public, a chance to invite them into my world.
As I look back on those formative years, I realise they weren’t just about learning techniques or refining style. They were about learning who I was — as a man, as an engineer, and as an artist. I discovered that identity is not singular. It’s layered, like a painting built over time. And for me, each brushstroke has always been a step toward self-understanding.
In my next blog post, I’ll share how this journey evolved further — through curating exhibitions, collaborating with institutions, and eventually working with Italian art critic Marta Lock to reflect critically on my collected works. Her essays, and the projects I’ve undertaken in recent years, are not just milestones — they are mirrors through which I continue to see my artistic life with new eyes.
Until then, thank you for following along.
Exhibitions:
2024- RottArti 24 – Stamperija Indipendenza, Msdia – 22 Sept – 6th October 2024
2024- The Sacred Arts Exhibition St Julians Band Club AD 1927- 22-30 March
2024- Wirja Sagra- Parrocca Madonna ta Lourdes, Paola March
2023 – The Wignacourt Museum, Rabat Malta – The Credit Card Collection -19 Dec 2023- 7 Jan 2024
2023 – The Wignacourt Museum, Rabat Malta – Rabat Sacrum – 23/24th September.
2023 – The Wignacourt Museum, Rabat Malta- Collection 2 (17th t-29th September)
2023- The Wignacourt Museum, Rabat Malta- Collection 1 (1st-16th September)
2023 Malta Cultural Institute Foundation- The Imperial residence , Sliema 12th June
2022 Meandering Realms -Artist in Residence Cavalieri Art Hotel – (May 2022 to August 2022)
2022 Forgotten Malta -Artist in Residence Cavalieri Art Hotel – (Oct 2021 to April 2022)
2021 Of Structure and Deconstruction – Artist in Residence Cavalieri Art Hotel – (June -October))
2020- Artist in Residence exhibition at The Hotel Phoenicia in Valletta during October and November
2020 – Virtual Exhibition OPUS 20XX on www.raypiscopo.com
2019 – Exhibition Malta Cultural Institute Foundation, G F Abela Junior College 10 Nov
2019 – Malta Biennale Milano, Brera Site, Italy October 2019
2019 – Exhibition of works at the Eden Cinema Foyer
2019 – Exhibition at The Old Mill- Lija in conjunction with the Citrus Festival- Jan 2019
2018 – Exhibition with theme of Poverty and Vulnerability, Sta.Venera Malta (November)
2017- 1st Malta Film Expo, Centru Kreattiv, Valletta
2016 – Exhibition ‘Painting Hope’ at Hotel Sesmones, Cornegliano Laudense, Lodi Italy Sept-Dec 2016
2016 – ArtExpo New York 2016 – April 2016
2016- VIZJONI – Zabbar Sanctuary Museum. March
2016- Corinthia Marina Hotel for 3 months
2016 – MCI concert – Imperial Hotel Sliema – Feb 2016
2015- ‘Iconically Hollywood’- Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa, Attard – Nov/Dec 2015
2015- ‘Abstract Rhythms in Nature’ –Banca giuratale, Victoria, Gozo- 5 Dec – 28 Dec 2015
2015 – ‘Abstract Rhythms in Nature’ –Cavalieri Art Hotel 11 Dec 2015- 13 Jan 2016
2015 – 7th MCI Concert at the Le Meridien Hotel 12 April 2015
2015 – Exhibition at the Lourdes Parish, Paola
2015 – ‘Mara’ exhibition organized by AZAD, Valletta, Malta (10-22 March 2015)
2014 – The Reasoning of the Imagination – Cavalieri Arts Hotel, Dec 2014 to Jan 2015
2014 – The Perfect Christmas Gift Fair, Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa, 29/30 November 2014
2014 – ‘IDENTITA’ ‘ exhibition organised by AZAD, Valletta, Malta (1-31 October 2014)
2014 – ‘Reaching to the Sky’ Art Exhibition at SkyParks Business Centre, Malta International Airport, Luqa, Malta (15 June – 15 Sept)
2014 – ADG Art Exhibition at the Cavalieri Art Hotel, St Julians, Malta ( 3 May – 30 June)
2014 – ‘Mors et Vita’ Art Exhibition, St Gaetan’s Musical Society Hamrun, Malta (9-18 April)
2014 – ‘Consumatum Est’ Exhibition at the Lourdes Parish, Paola (9 – 18 April).
2014 – Maria Regina Pageant Group Exhibition, Marsa, Malta ( 9 – 18 April)
2014 – ‘Italian Masterpieces and more…’ Art Exhibition at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Valletta, Malta
2013 – ‘Beyond the Body…the Soul’ Art Exhibition at the Corinthia Palace Hotel & Spa, Attard, Malta
2013 – Malta Cultural Institute, Le Meridien, St Julians Malta
2013 – Art Exhibition at Is-Sagrestija, Valletta Waterfront
2013 – Art Exhibition at the La Vallette VIP Lounge, Malta International Airport
2013 – Art Exhibition of the China Cultural Centre, Valletta
2012 – ‘OPUS 2012’ Art Exhibition at the Hotel Cavalieri, St Julians, Malta
2010 – Art exhibition at Is-Sagrestija, Waterfront, Malta organised by the Marsa Local Council
2010 – Internatiionale Sommerakademie Venedig – Venice, Italia
2009 – Internaltionale Sommerakademie Für Bildende Kunst – Salzburg, Austria
2008 – 2nd Prize – Terzo Premio Internazionale di Arte Figurativa Piero della Francesca, Arezzo Italia
2008 – Radisson Arts Exhibition
2006 – Birzebbugia Local Council Exhibition, Malta
2005 – George Muscat & Friends, Ir-Razzett l-Antik, Malta
2004- Wirja ta l-Arti, Palazzo De La Salle< Valletta
2002 – 4th Biennale of Contemporary Christian Art, Malta
2002 – Trade Fair Art Exhibition, Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, Malta
2002 – Primera Esposicion, Barcelona, Spain
1998 – Art Exhibition, Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, Malta
1997 – Art Exhibition, Society of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, Malta
1996 – Birgufest, Malta
