I was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

In 1965 I arrived in Israel to study at the Hebrew University.   Two years later, I experienced my first war – The Six Day War. I stayed in Israel until 1975 and lived through yet another war – the Yom Kippur War.

It was in Israel that I started to paint. I had never had any special interest in art.  It took me at least a decade to realize that art was now a permanent part of my being, and essential to my happiness and wholeness.

In 1975 I returned to Brazil and in 1983 I decided to come to the U.S., where I continued to study painting.

I now have my own studio where I paint full time, as well as teach oils and encaustics.

I feel that having lived in different countries and experienced a variety of cultures has greatly enriched me both as a person and as an artist.  I constantly search for new mediums to express different aspects of my cultural background, and Encaustics have enabled me to embark upon endless paths of research and innovation.

There is a constant interplay between my attraction to both Oils and Encaustics, as they “feed” me in very different ways, as they demand different ways of working and approaching the mediums. I find that oils are less playful and spontaneous, while Encaustics allow much more spontaneity, happy accidents and a more experimental approach (which does not preclude control and planning).  I also work in Mixed Media (collage, cold wax and many other materials).

I am currently a member of International Encaustic Artists.

My other first passion is working on behalf of animals, big and small.

I currently live in Scottsdale with my husband (a poet, lyricist and marketing consultant), and two pets.

On February 11, 2020 I was chosen to be the Featured Artist on ArtsyShark.com's website.  Here's the link to my featured artist portfolio and article: https://www.artsyshark.com/2020/02/11/featured-artist-bela-fidel/