A Painting Exhibition

Rail men. Which is the image associated to the name that we have just pronounced? A pupil attending the primary school is probably identifying the rail men with those clerks in the uniform, with the imposing caps, who "order" the trains in the railway station. Which is the image associated to them by the grown - ups who are watching TV news and are reading the newspapers? Because there are "discussions" about the rail personnel only when it is about their strikes and the trains stop or when the tickets are more expensive. And then, your image, dear railway readers, is reduced to the revolted and demanding man. With all this going on, people have to realize that you are also normal people, even if you have, indeed, a job that place you in a special category. The guild of rail men has proved along the time that can give special persons, that are showing successfully their skills in any other activity fields, among which are included also sportive and artistic fields. The creation of the clubs and associations with various profiles occasioned for the rail men, as well as for the members of their families, the possibility to demonstrate their qualities and to develop their hobbies.
We had the chance that at the beginning of the "Presents' Month" and in the proximity of the national day of Romania, namely November 30, to receive at the editorial house an invitation to a painting exhibition where railway artists have been exhibiting their works! We had the surprise, more than pleasant, to meet people from almost all the rail regions, members of the Railway Plastic Artists Association (AAPF). This association is part of the UAIFR (Artistic and Intellectual Association of the Romanian Rail Personnel), which, on its turn, is the subsidiary of FISAIC (International Association of the Railway Artists). UAIFR comprises sections as music, painting, folklore, Esperanto language, bridge, philately and also other sections. Having as guest the state secretary in charge with railway matters, Mr. Ion Selaru, and taking advantage of the involvement of certain UAIFR members as Floarea Mladin and Stefan Mihail, the exhibition turn to be a success. The only regret issued on this occasion was the fact that the exhibition could not last longer, for a few more days at least, in order to give the chance to several persons to admire the outstanding works.
The works exhibited have covered a pretty wide range: oil paintings, water colors, paintings on glass and Goblens. We had the chance to meet passionate people, railway personnel for whom painting represents more than a way to spend their spare time. I will name them as it follows and I can only hope that I have not missed anyone, and in the case I have, I apologize in advance: Maria Dabuleanu, Lucia Paraschiva Ghircoias, Gheorghe Ghircoias (the president of AAPF), Daniela Tecsa, Roxana Voicu, Ana Rusu, Carmen Ungureanu, Simona Pascale, Otilia Craciun, Elena Bogdan, Bogdan Aurel Ghircoias, Ioan Pacinschi, Lucia Hristache, Iolanda Diaconu. And we also have to mention an older acquaintance of ours, Costache Nenea, the painter who created, among others, also the wall painting placed on the hall of the third floor of CFR Palace.
We have admired sunsets, mountain sights, dead nature, bunches of flowers, and also expressions in a modern manner of the exhibitors. I was surprised to notice that the themes chosen for this exhibition were not "railway", only with one exception, the artists wishing that through the subjects they approached to escape from the quotidian of their jobs. And, at the closure of this article, I would like to wish to these rail men, members of these associations or not, a lot of success in their activities and the incoming year to be a better one for them.

Silvia Mirea