Mariana Sain-Morar

email:mariana@sainmorar.com

Education

Fine Arts Institute of Iasi, Romania

Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art, 1982 - Major, oil on canvas

Master in Conservation and Restoration of Fine Art - frescos (mural painting) and Byzantine Icons - Bucharest 1987

Professional Experience

1985 - 2009    See Personal and Group exhibitions.

Restored 15th - 19th century Romanian historical monuments belonging to National Patrimony.

Current Gallery representation

 2008 – Present Colosseum Fine Arts Gallery – San Diego, CA

Selected Personal and Group Exhibitions

2009 “Biennale Internazionale Dell’Arte Contemporanea” – Fortezza da Basso, Florence, Italy

2009 “The Sacred Within” – Colosseum Fine Arts Gallery, San Diego, CA

2009 “Enigmatic Visions” – Agora Gallery, Chelsea New York

2008 “Chromatic Memories” – India Street Gallery, San Diego, CA

2008 “Figuratively Speaking” – Agora Gallery, Chelsea New York

2008 “Third Eye” – Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, Chelsea New York

2006 - 2007   Randall M. Hasson Gallery – Solana Beach, CA

 2003 - 2004   Simic Gallery – La Jolla, CA

 2002   “Window into Eternity” Dadian Gallery – Washington, DC

 2000 - 2002   Svitozor Gallery – Santa Barbara, CA 

1998   Evelyn Siegel Gallery - "Meet the Artist Luncheon" Series. Fort Worth, Texas – One person show

1997   "Convergence of Kinds"- A Collaboration Invitational - Irving, Texas

 1995   "Millennium" - Biblical Arts Center - Dallas, Texas

 1995   "Vision : America" - Juried exhibition - Fort Worth, Texas

 1995   University of Mary Harden Baylor - Belton, Texas – One person show

 1995   "The song of degrees, song of ascents" - Temple, Texas – One person show

 1995   "Introspection" - Biblical Arts Center - Dallas, Texas – One person show

 1995   Navarro Council of the Arts - Juried exhibition - Corsicana, Texas

 1995   Seaside Art Gallery - International Miniature Art Show

 1994   International Artists Gallery - Detroit, Michigan – One person show

 1994   Navarro Council of the Arts - Juried exhibition - Corsicana, Texas

 1993   "Byzantine Icons" - San Antonio, Texas (two persons show)

 1992   "Sacred Fire" – Beloselsky-Belozersky Palace, Saint Petersburg, Russia – (curated by Jerry Eisley)

 1991   "International Christian Artist" - Sheffield, England

 1991   Alpha Gallery - "Stigma" group exhibition - Arad, Romania

 1991   "Human condition and society" - "Stigma" group exhibition - Cluj, Romania

 1988   "The family" - National juried exhibition - Bucharest, Romania

 1983   Juried teachers exhibition - Central Gallery - Brasov, Romania

 1982   Juried exhibition for emerging artists - Arad, Romania

 1981   "The Romanian artist" - juried exhibition - Oroshaza, Hungary

 1981   Student exhibition - University Gallery - Iasi, Romania

Restoration and Conservation

1985 - 1991   Restored the following Romanian historical monuments (frescos):

 "COZIA" monastery - 15th century

 "CLOCOCIOV" monastery - 16th century

 "SFINTA PARASCHIVA" Orthodox Church - 17th century

 "SFINTA SOFIA" Orthodox Church - 17th century

 "ADORMIREA MAICII DOMNULUI" Orthodox Church - 17th century

 "BISERICA ALBA" Orthodox Church - 19th century

 "SFINTA TREIME" Orthodox Church - 17th century

Biography

    Born in Romania, Mariana Sain-Morar received her formal training and developed her artistic skills in her native land. During her college years she exhibited her work in Romania and Hungary.  Her professional career began in 1982 after receiving her degree from the Academy of Fine Art, Iasi.

    While continuing to paint, she spent the next three years as an art teacher in Predeal - Romania. In 1985 she decided to continue her education in the restoration field. She worked for seven years restoring old churches from the National Patrimony (14th-18th century) as part of a restoration team led by the best-known Romanian experts in the field.

    Under communism, the most somber period in Romania's artistic history, Mariana was not often able to exhibit her art because her paintings did not fit within the social-realist type of art that fed the Romanian dictator's personality cult.

    After the Revolution, she was accepted as a member of the Romanian Artist Union in 1990. That same year she was able to travel and exhibit in England. At the Tate Gallery in London she saw for the first time paintings by Turner, which impressed her very much.

    Another exhibition that included her work in Saint Petersburg followed. During that trip to Russia, in 1991, Mariana was able to visit the Hermitage Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in Moscow.  In 1994, during a trip to Austria she saw a retrospective of George Rouault, whose work has influenced her own.

    She is particularly known for creating in her paintings a surrealist atmosphere without employing surrealistic technique. Basic line defines Sain-Morar's drawings:
"They are as simple as those on the caves at Lascaux, yet more expressive with their own personalities" - Joan Crowder.

    Mariana came to the United States in 1992 and continues to work and exhibit from her studio in San Diego.  Her works are in private collections in USA, England, France, Germany, Russia, Italy and Romania.