A view on Lakes Entrance, Gippsland, Victoria - Oil on Canvas - Women's Vapor Apparel Solar Performance Short Sleeve - Athletic Grey

However his innate love for painting remained. More than ten years ago he started painting with oils and fell in love with this versatile and dynamic medium. Traveling around Australia gave him more inspiration and motivation, and since 2012, he started painting on a regular basis and exhibiting his work in various art shows around Sydney and surrounding areas. His daily practice of painting helped him to develop his skills and knowledge of painting especially the use of color very quickly. His scientific background also helps him to understand better the effect of light on the various pigments used in paint and so he considers each painting as a challenge to try to create the illusion of light using paint. He considers each painting as being a representation of reflected light from objects around us.

Dr Vidal's style of work was developed through years of experience in drawing and painting. He considers himself as a contemporary realist with his preferred subject being the landscape. Studying classical arts mainly drawing from life helped him to develop drawing skills and a keen eye for detail. During his studies he was influenced by the works of the great masters especially by the works of Caravaggio.  He is also influenced by the American landscape painters of the Hudson River school and by the Australian impressionists of the Heidelberg School movement.

As an artist he expresses himself in his paintings, especially when painting landscapes. His inspiration comes from his love of the arts, science, nature and what is around him. Nature inspires Chris in many ways. Standing in front of a mountain makes him realise how short our life is, as although dynamically changing, these mountains have been standing much before human existence and will stand beyond our time. Trees also have a story to tell, as they stand the test of time constantly battling the weather and gravity while searching for light and water. Ocean, lakes and rivers remind him from where all life started. Strong waves and ocean currents sculpt our coastlines while maintaining the right temperature on earth necessary to support life. Looking up at the skies reminds Chris of the vastness of the universe. The glorious moments full of spectacular colours when the sun sets behind the horizon at the end of the day is a time of reflection about the day that just ended, and that every precious second of life should be embraced.

With his paintings, Dr Vidal wants to re-establish our human connection with mother nature. Chris sees that unfortunately humans lost their connection with nature and this is leading to a destruction of the same nature due to excessive consumption, waste and neglect. So with his artwork he wants to show the beauty of nature and of life itself. He sees that arts also is heading in a direction of negativity and darkness, and this is not the purpose of arts. He believes that Art should be a representation of beauty coming from within the inner self. 

Chris' works are found in private and corporate collections in Australia and Internationally.