Artist Bio - Marie M. Vlasic

From left to right; me, out at an event a year ago; some photo fun with photographer friend Anthony Camera

I am obsessed with capturing the moment. A brief expression; a flicker of thought crossing the face; catching that flash in time on canvas. Be it a single figure or a group, I am infinitely fascinated by humanity & the body, and with modern culture in particular. Wherever I go; to the nightclub, the tattoo parlor, the grocery store; I am visually stopping time, taking a mental picture of the fleeting moment before me.

This cultural obsession has taken hold and refuses to let go; pulling me along on it’s journey of discovering the humanity in all of us, and in myself.  Even when painting the occasional still life, I find myself imbuing the subject with the glow and life of the figure. I feel the heart, the soul in painting the human form, and so the flesh is always calling me.

For me, only oils will do. I fell in love with the medium, with it’s soft, sensual feel and rich intensity of color, over 20 years ago.  I tend to work thin; layering the paint. This technique gives my work a luminous quality. Because of the brief, expressive nature of the images I am creating, I work from photographs; many taken myself and some in collaboration with local photographers. I am often asked which painting is my favorite. The answer; whatever one I am now working on. The process of watching each work unfold; that moment when the flat canvas begins to breath; that is the fuel that drives me to keep creating.  

Thank you for your interest!

-M. Vlasic

Personal Stuff (if you really have to know...)

Birth date: March 18

Sex: Female

Children: Charlie & Emma (both four-legged)

Location: Denver, Colorado 

City of Birth: Canoga Park, California

Occupation: Full-Time Artist, Singer 

Hobbies/Interests: Art (duh), Music (mainly Alternative Rock), Interior Design (I am obsessed with HGTV), Costume Design, Gardening, Floral Design, Dancing, Singing, Reading, Learning, Good Conversation

Favorite Color: Purple

Favorite Drink:  Grey Goose Dirty Martini (with three olives!); Bombay Sapphire & Tonic (the perfect summer refresher) Red Wine

Favorite Food: Sushi, French Fries (not at the same time)

Favorite Authors: Tom Wolfe, John Irving; Tom Robbins, Shakespeare (I know, odd combination. So I'm eclectic!)

Favorite Holiday: Halloween (I live to dress up!)

Favorite City: New Orleans (I'd live there if it wasn't so damn humid & buggy)

Favorite Movies: "the Big Lebowski" (really any Cohn Bros. Flick), Anything Wes Anderson, "Bowfinger" (the quintessential So. Cal. movie), "Pricilla, Queen of the Desert", "Pirates of the Caribbean" (Johnny Depp as a pirate; need I say more?)

Guilty Pleasures: "Sex & the City", "the Daily Show", Chocolate, Pee Wee Herman, Garage Sale shopping