Artist Bio
Marina Murvanidze Mitchell, a Georgian American artist studying at the Art Academy London, works in oil and acrylic, as well as photography, creating portraits of people and imaginary cities. Her interest in the psychological makeup of migrants, urban isolation of individuals and cities as migration transit points is influenced by her career in international development and conflict resolution. She studied oil painting at Leah Lopez's Atelier and NY Academy of Art, exhibiting at Salmagundi Club, New York and Newington Gallery, London.
My Journey Into Art
My journey into art could be attributed to pure happenstance. I grew up in Georgia, a picturesque country of high mountains and subtropical seascapes known in the past as the “Riviera of the Soviet Union.” Later, while living in Princeton, NJ, USA, where I moved to earn my Master’s degree in Public Policy from Princeton University, I enrolled my then 13-year-old daughter Thea in art classes. After a few sessions, Thea lost her interest, and I decided to attend the remaining classes with the hope to re-inspire her. It happened very soon fortunately for her and unfortunately for me, since I had a chance to do only a couple of studies. However, the seed was planted and it did not go unnoticed by my husband, who presented me with a French easel for my next birthday. I started to paint sporadically, and only after moving to New York City ten years later, I finally made my way to taking art classes again: first at the New York Academy of Art, and then at Leah Lopez's Atelier. Having rediscovered the joy of oil painting and being fascinated by the process of creating my own colour palette, I knew that this time, no matter what, there would be no interruption in my pursuing Art. Since 2016, I have been living in London and currently am a full-time student at the Art Academy, based in Southwark, central London.
Education
The Art Academy, London, UK; Currently studying for BA in Fine Art (2017-present)
Princeton University, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton, NJ, USA; Christian Johnson Endeavor Fellow; Diploma: Master’s in Public Policy; Field Concentration: International Relations, Conflict Resolution, International Political Economy of Development, Organizational and Financial Management (1997-1998)
Tbilisi State Institute of Foreign Languages, Tbilisi, Georgia; Diploma (summer cum laude): Master’s in English Language & Literature (1974 - 1979)
Upcoming Show-postponed
2020 BENEATH, 10 - 15 SEP, Group Show, Crypt Gallery, London
Group Exhibition
2019 UNTITLED, Fine Art Group Show, Newington Gallery, London
2015 Leah Lopez's Atelier, School of Fine Art Annual Exhibition, Salmagundi Club, New York City