Featured Artist Anita Marci

Artist Anita Marci paints flora and fauna that  fill the canvas with bold shapes, clean lines and energized color. See more of her work by visiting her website.

 

 

People often ask me when I decided to become an artist. I always smile and say “I didn’t have a choice. I didn’t choose art. Art chose me.”

 

 

My earliest memory is of asking (Ok, begging) for paints. Mom kept pushing me toward crayons (I was four), but I wanted to paint. Finally, my Grams got me some paint. I was beyond thrilled and I proceeded to paint everything. I painted the walls, the floors and the furniture!

 

 

At the age of ten, I entered an art contest. I received my first art award and became a published artist. I was hooked. Flash forward twelve years—after receiving the Art Award in High School, I graduated from college with a BFA and Summa Cum Laude honors.

 

 

I had a prestigious job as an illustrator/designer at a New York City design firm before I graduated. Three years later, I established my own New York City studio at the age of twenty-five upon receiving a sixty piece watercolor painting commission for the book “Everlastings – the Complete Book of Dried Flowers.”

 

 

I truly enjoyed working in New York with greats like Calvin Klein and Karl Lagerfeld. My Park Avenue studio specialized in product and package design for the cosmetics, fragrance, publishing, accessory and textile industries. My clients included Nine West, Elizabeth Arden, Estee Lauder and Springmaid among many others.

 

 

I decided to make a change nearly twenty years later when I became a fine art instructor. I was grateful to be able to give back to other artists as I shared my talents and experiences.

 

 

My next chapter began when I chose to move to Maui, Hawaii. I continued teaching there and I began making fine art. My art was shown in four Maui galleries and I landed a huge commission from Katherine Berman and her celebrity husband Chris Berman of ESPN. I proceeded to fill all three of their homes with my art. These loyal collectors now own more than forty of my originals. I continue to specialize in custom fine art.

 

 

I returned to show in New York in April of 2014 at the celebrated ArtExpo New York. It was a dream I’d had from the age of twenty-two. It was beyond exciting, and I was supported by visits from friends and family from my Pennsylvania and New York lives. I was truly honored when I was chosen as “Top Emerging Artist” by Art Business News and featured in their magazine. In December of 2014, I was fortunate to show at Spectrum Miami during Art Basil. I had the time of my life!

 

 

I recently designed a collection I call “Fashion Fine Art.” I have applied my bold, graphic paintings to clothing and accessories. It is my goal to be represented by a licensing/branding company that will enable me to bring these designs into form. I also intend to create products for the home furnishing, tabletop, accessories and apparel industries. Yes, I wish to return to my roots. It is time to come full circle.

 

Artist Anita Marci invites you to follow her on Instagram  and her Facebook pages.

 

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