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He settled in Seattle and attended affiliated classes at the University of Washington. During this time he learned to identify color in a more formal and comprehensive manner as the means to draw viewers into his paintings and direct the eyes to absorb the entire canvas. While he already knew how to produce beautiful art, studying at the University taught him the underlying principles of what made his compositions work; the technical%u201cskeleton%u201d of his art.Constantly striving to perfect his art, Goldfinger eventually moved to Florida, where he continued to study with a French contemporary master of the genre. During this period he evolved from a virtuoso to a master. The %u201cgentle technique%u201d of using the thinnest possible strokes of color sets Goldfinger%u2019s work apart from his peers. As he states %u201cIt is saying more with less talk.%u201dCurrently, Goldfinger%u2019s paintings reflect the best of modern materials and practices combined with the rich history of European master artists, whom he reveres. Each work begins with the finest hand-stretched Belgian linen. The canvas is repeatedly primed, allowed to dry and then sanded to smooth perfection. Although this process can take up to two months, it is an essential element to having a glass-like surface capable of receiving precise detailed brush strokes. Once painting begins, he uses only the finest Dutch oils, the same formulas used by the greatest masters of %u201cThe Golden Age.%u201dSubtle blends of tints and tones are used to fill in the details, while using the interplay of light and shadow to give viewers a sense of movement and rhythm. As many as 30 layers of paint may be applied to areas of the canvas in order to produce the desired effect.Although he no longer paints in 36 hour bursts as when he was younger, Goldfinger still sees his work as a series of precise and exacting layers, each of which must be correctly completed as a foundation for the next. %u201cUnlike an Impressionist work which can be done in an afternoon, an Expressive Realist work takes a matter of months. It requires knowing exactly where I am going, and what I have to do to reach the final stage,%u201d says Goldfinger. %u201cOne has to go through extreme complexity to find effortless, masterful simplicity. Less is more when you strike the perfect chord.%u201dAntal Goldfinger%u2019s paintings invite one to enter a world of rediscovery - the timeless existence of really looking, noticing, stopping to visit and savor every detail. Seeing perhaps for the first time, minute elements executed with a precision which is breathtaking. The viewer is left to wonder at the extraordinary skill and talent which allows the artist to create works with such deep understanding of the miraculous structure of nature. We can enter into a space where we become aware of the very essence of a flower, perceive the presence of song in a bird, and sense the delicious succulence of a fruit. One enters directly into the life force which flows from artist%u2019s hand to image.%u201cA good painting has to be viewed in its entirety, so I have to keep the viewers%u2019 eyes moving in order to do that. I also add details in different stages of execution - some crisp, some subtle and barely visible, so that there is always something in the process of discovery for the viewer.%u201d Goldfinger concludes by saying, %u201cA painting needs to have something to continually intrigue its audience, because ultimately, art is entertainment.%u201dAntal Goldfinger%u2019s works are held in prestigious private, corporate and celebrity collections throughout the world, including museums and the White House of the United States.72 MOST MAGAZINE - ISSUE 50