Marian Fortunati » About the Artist

Marian Fortunati's everyday world stimulates her to share her views through her art.  Her long career as a teacher and principal -working with children and adults, her family, and her love of travel have provided her with constant sources of inspiration.  She has studied drawing and painting in formal courses and workshops with artists she admires and now strives to capture the humor and beauty of the world as she interprets it. 

Marian is an Associate Member of the California Art Club, Oil Painters of America and is active in several local art groups, including the San Fernando Valley Art Club, the Valley Artists Guild and Women Painters West.

Some of Fortunati's favorite new paintings have recently received awards and a few years back one was critiqued in The Artists' Magazine 2008 online issue.
     
Currently she is working on paintings celebrating the places she explores and the people with whom she interacts during her travels and explorations.

Awards & Honors

• "Garrapata Fog" - Merchant Award - SFVAC 2011 Winter Juried Show (Julie Snyder, Juror) (2011)
• "Candlelight and Ribbons" Jury's Favorite 15%, FineArtViews, Boldbrush Contest (September, 2011)
• "Poppy Path" - Evylena Nunn Miller Cash Award (one of 3 top awards) - WPW Summer Exhibition - (Deanna Izen Miller, Juror) (2011)
• "Spring Sea" - First Place - SFVAC June Mini Show (David Gallup, Juror) (2011)
• "Point Lobos Poetry" Jury's Favorite 15%, FineArtViews, Boldbrush Contest (March, 2011) 
•  "Still Water Reflections" Second Place - SFVAC April Mini Show (Jose De Juan, Juror) (2011)
• "Matador"  Honorable Mention - SFVAC February Mini Show (Scott Castro Kiche, Juror) (2011)
• "Laguna Rocks"  Third Place - SFVAC January Mini Show (Bernard Fallon, Juror) (2011)
• "Lagoon"  - Best Of Show - Award Winning Landscape Artists Group Exhibition 2010 - Topanga Canyon Inn Gallery (2010)
• "California Colors" - Honorable Mention  - SCIART Gallery (David Gallup - Juror ) (2010)
  
• "Mustard Hills" - Honorable Mention - "2010 Plein Air Exhibit", Ventura County Maritime Museum (Dorothy Orr - Juror) (2010)
• "California Colors" - First Place - "Views and Visions - SFVAC Spring Exhibition" - VIVA Art Center (Bob Privitt - Juror) (2010)
• "Monterey Magic" - Honorable Mention - The Art of The Landscape, 2010 Exhibit - Topanga Canyon Inn Gallery  (Frank Serrano - Juror) (2010)
• "Storm Clouds Over The Valley" - Merchant's Award, SFVAC - VIVA L'Art Exhibition - VIVA Gallery (David Gallup - Juror )(2009)
• "Calle Dorado" - Merchant's Award, VAG - Fall Exhibition 2009 - VIVA Gallery (Ramela Grigorian Abbamontian - Juror)(2009)
• "September Song" -- Lee Banarer Award -- Valley Artists Guild 2009 Gold Medal Exhibition, VIVA Gallery (2009)
• "Gioiello Di Cinque Terre" -- Honorable Mention -- Oil/Acrylic,  "Westlake Village Art Guild 2009 Juried Open Show, Thousand Oaks Community Gallery (2009)
• "Harbinger" - "First Place --  Modern/Experimental,  "For The Love Of Art" Exhibition, SFVAC, VIVA Gallery (David Gallup and Pong Apinyavat - Jurors) (2008)
• "Laundry Day" -- Honorable Mention -- Scenic, "For The Love Of Art" Exhibition, SFVAC, VIVA Gallery (David Gallup and Pong Apinyavat- Jurors) (2008)  
• "Las Virgenes Barn" - Merchants' Award,  VAG - Fall Exhibition - VIVA Gallery (2007)
• "Sunny Day In The Neighborhood" - First Place - Scenic, "Summer Heat" Exhibition, SFVAC, - LC * Left Coast Gallery (2007)
• "Irises and Mums" - Third Place - Still Life, SFVAC - Finegood Gallery (2007)  
• "Mother's Morning" - Third Place - Portrait, San Fernando Valley Art Club Spring Exhibition -  A StuART Gallery,  (2006)
• "Morning Glory On The 101" - Honorable Mention -Scenic, San Fernando Valley Art Club  Spring Exhibition - A StuART Gallery,  (2006)
• "Beautiful Bride" - Honorable Mention, San Fernando Valley Art Club March Mini Contest,  (2006)   
• "Venezia" - First Place Prize, Masterpiece Artists' Interpretations Contest, (2004)
      

     Galleries and Museum Shows  

 
2012     

•  The Women's City Club at the Historic Blinn House -- "RED" -- A Juried Exhibition  -- Curated by Margaret Danielak  (February - March,  2012) 
• Buenaventura Gallery - 26th Annual Open Competition - (Gary Lang, juror) (January, 2012) 
• Altadena Town And Country Club - California Art Club "Iconic California",  (Karl Dempwolf, juror) (January -March, 2012)

2011

• • Segil Fine Art Gallery -- 9th Annual Small Works Show -- (Laura Segil, juror), (December, 2011)
  • NoHo PAC -- SFVAC Winter Show, (Julie Snyder, juror) (December, 2011)
  • La Galeria Gitana -- "Rural Remnants of The San Fernando Valley" a Group show - (November - January, 2011-2012)
  • The Women's City Club at the Historic Blinn House -- "Winter's Light" -- A Juried Exhibition  -- Curated by Margaret Danielak  (November - January,  2011-2012)
  •  Cultural Arts Council of Douglasville, Georgia -- 25th Annual National Fine Arts Exhibition, (Angela Nichols, juror), November, 2011
  • Encino Terrace Center Exhibitiion - Valley Artists Guild, (November, 2011 - February, 2012)
    
  • Altadena Town And Country Club - California Art Club "At The Foodhills of the San Gabriels",  (Joseph Mendez, juror) (September -December, 2011)
  • Schomburg Gallery - Bergamot Station -- WPW@Schomburg Gallery Exhibition, (September-October 2011)
  • Burbank Creative Arts Center -- Summer Exhibition of Women Painters West, (July, 2011)
  • Fremont Gallery -- California Art Club "Fresh Air Exhibition",  (Karl Dempwolf, Peter Adams, jurors) (July, 2011)
  • Randy Higbee Gallery -- "Less Is More" - A Juried Exhibition of Plein Air work - Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (Jean Stern, juror) (May-June 2011)
  • The Women's City Club at the Historic Blinn House -- "Spring Forward" -- A Juried Exhibition Celebrating Women Artists of Southern California -- Curated by Margaret Danielak  (May - July,  2011)
  • California Art Club -- Marston's Valencia Inaugural Juried Exhibition (April - July 2011)
  • Thousand Oaks Community Gallery -- Westlake Village Art Guild Annual Open Juried Show (March - April 2011)
  • Four Season's Hotel -- "DREAMS ON CANVAS" (April, 2011) 
  •  La Galeria Gitana -- "Favorite Weekend Getaways", (April - June 2011)
  •  La Galeria Gitana -- "Rediscovering San Fernando at 100", (January - March 2011)
  • Topanga Canyon Gallery -- 2011 TCG Juried Open, (January - February, 2011)

2010

• • Randy Higbee Gallery -- 6" Squared Show, (December, 2010)
  • Segil Fine Art Source -- Eighth Annual Holiday Small Works Show, (December, 2010)
  • The Historic Blinn House (Women's City Club of Pasadena) -- California Art Club Magnificent Miniature Exhibit and Sale - (December, 2010)
  • Finegood Art Gallery - "Images and Reflections" - SFVAC Fall Juried Exhibition - (October - December, 2010)
  • VIVA Art Center,   VAG Fall 2010 Juried Exhibition -  (October 2010)
  • Topanga Canyon Inn Art Gallery  - "Award Winning Landscape Artists Group Show 2010" -  (September, 2010)
  • SCIART Gallery, "Regional Plein Air Show" (David Gallup-Juror) August - September, 2010)
  • VOCA Gallery, "Women Painters at VOCA" - Venice, CA (August - September, 2010)
  • Maryland Federation of Art, Annapolis, Maryland -2010 American Landscape National Juried Show  (August - September, 2010)
  • VIVA Art Center, "Four Faces of VIVA" - (June - July, 2010)
  • VIVA Art Center, "Views and Visions - SFVAC Spring 2010 Juried Exhibit" - (May - June, 2010)
  • American Juried Art Salon 10th International Show - Spring / Summer 2010
  • Topanga Canyon Inn Art Gallery "Art of the Landscape 2010" - Juror: Frank Serrano (April-May, 2010)
  • VIVA Art Center, "Valley Artists Guild 2010 Gold Medal Exhibition" - (April, 2010)
  • Thousand Oaks Community Art Gallery, Westlake Village Art Guild 2010 Juried Open Show (March - April, 2010)
  • Orlando Gallery, "One Foot Show" - Women Painters West (February, 2010)
  • La Galeria Gitana, "Urban Spaces - The San Fernando Valley" - a  group show - (January-March, 2010)
  • NVAL Carter House Gallery, North Valley Art League's 26th Annual National Show (January - February, 2010)

          2009

• •   VIVA Gallery - "VIVA L'Art SFVAC Exhibition" (Juror: David Gallup) (November-December 2009)
  • Women's City Club Pasadena (at the Historic Blinn House), California Art Club "Precious Gifts"  Exhibition -  Jurors: Karl Dempwolf / Michael Obermeyer (December-April 2010)
  • Segil Gallery "Seventh Annual Holiday Small Works Show" (December, 2009)
  • SoPas Gallery, City Of Trees Exhibition presented by the California Art Club and the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, (October-November 2009)
  • VIVA Gallery - "VAG Fall 2009 Exhibition" (September-October) 2009)
  • Richeson School of Art & Gallery, Kimberly WI -- "Richeson 75: 2009 Landscape, Seascape and Architecture International Exhibit" (October-December, 2009)
  • La Galeria Gitana, "Sacred Art / All Things Spiritual" - a 20 person group show - (September-December, 2009)
  • 2009 Art Kudos Online Gallery - From the 1,176 works of art submitted, a total of 140 outstanding works of art (including mine) were chosen for the International Exhibition which will be online from August 2009 to August 2010.
  •  VIVA Gallery - "VIVA Ten" - Tenth Annual All Group Show (July-August, 2009)
  • Santa Cruz Art League, 79th Annual Statewide Exhibit -Irreplaceable Places: Contemporary Landscape Painters of California (Kevin Macpherson - juror) (May-June, 2009)
  • La Galeria Gitana, "FRINGES: The Hills and Canyons Of The San Fernando Valley" - a 10 person group show - (April - June, 2009)
  • VIVA Gallery, Valley Artists Guild 2009 Gold Medal Exhibition (April, 2009)
  • Thousand Oaks Community Art Gallery, Westlake Village Art Guild 2009 Juried Open Show (March - April, 2009)
  • NVAL Carter House Gallery, North Valley Art League's 25th Annual National Show (January - February, 2009)
  • City of Burbank Creative Arts Center Gallery, SFVAC "New Beginnings" Exhibit  (January, 2009)

            2008

• •   SGFAA Gallery, 2008 Plein-Air*San Gabriel (November, 2008)
  • SoPas Gallery, Rialto Visions Exhibition presented by the California Art Club and the South Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, (November 2008)
  • VIVA Gallery, Southern California Open Regional Exhibit (SCORE VII), (October - November, 2008)
  • VIVA Gallery, VAG Fall Exhibition, (September-October, 2008)
  • Finegood Gallery, SFVAC Fall Exhibition, (September-October, 2008)
  • Canoga Park Youth Art Center, VAG "Hidden Places of Los Angeles", (July-August, 2008)
  • Women's City Club Pasadena, California Art Club "Natural Beauty" Exhibition -  (June-December 2008)
  • VIVA Gallery, VAG 60^th Annual 2008 Gold Medal Exhibition, (March 2008)
  • VIVA Gallery, SFVAC "For the Love of Art" Exhibition, (February 2008)
  • Thousand Oaks Community Gallery,  Thousand Oaks Art Association 2008 Open Juried Show,  (February 2008)

·         2007

• •   VIVA Gallery, Southern California Open Regional Exhibition (SCORE VI),  (October-November 2007)
  • VIVA Gallery, VAG Fall Exhibition, (September-October 2007)
  • VIVA Gallery, (All Members' Show) "A Taste of Summer" (August, 2007)
  • Left Coast Gallery, SFVAC (August, 2007)
  • Canoga Park Youth Center, VAG (July, 2007)
  • Finegood Gallery, SFVAC (July, 2007)
  • Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery (Barnsdall Park), Open Call 2007, (July-August 2007) 
  • Thousand Oaks Community Gallery,  Westlake Village Art Guild    Annual Open Juried Show   (March -April  2007)
  • VIVA Gallery - VAG 2007 Gold Medal Exhibition, Valley Artists Guild (February 2007)
  • Palm Springs Art Museum - Artists Council 38th Annual National Juried Exhibition - (January - March 2007)
    
    
• 2006 
   
  • A StuART Gallery Spring Exhibition, San Fernando Valley Art Club
    (May, 2006)  

Displays & Festivals:

• "Sunny Day In The Neighborhood" Juried in to Learning & Product Expo: ART! sponsored by The Artist's Magazine, Pasadena, CA (October, 2007)  
• Woodland Hills Art Affaire - June, 2007
• "The Explorers" Juried in to Learning & Product Expo: ART! sponsored by The Artist's Magazine, Burbank, CA (October, 2006)
• "The River" - Juried in to Learning & Product Expo: ART! sponsored by The Artist's Magazine, Burbank, CA (October, 2005)

Education:

BA in Zoology
MS in Education
Teaching and Administrative Credentials
Art Instruction
        Mission Renaissance    Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art
        California Art Institute
Workshops and classes from:
                    Brian Blood............................Scott Burdick
                    Karl Dempwolf......................Anita Hampton
                    David Gallup..........................Frank Gardner
                    Calvin Liang
                    Jeremy Lipking.......................Camille Przewodik
                    Ray Roberts...........................Johanna Spinks
                    John Paul Thornton.................Ryan Wurmser

Pictured below are Marian and her husband, Gastone, at the opening of the Palm Springs Art Museum National Open Juried Show.