Mirjana’s earliest memories are of the art she created and the art she loved. She grew up in northern Bosnia, but left home at the age of 14 to attend School Of Fine Arts in Sarajevo. War erupted soon after, eventually pushing her to the School of Design in Belgrade. Later, she attended a private Art School, where she studied the old masters and the painting of icons in the Byzantine and Orthodox Christian tradition. Throughout it all, art remained a constant, steadying force in her life. In 1996 she relocated to the United States, settling in Chicago. She expanded the scope of her work to include several series of commissions, all the while continuing the pursuit of her own artistic vision.

Please click here to view Mirjana’s portfolio.

Commissions by Mirjana

Mirjana has created works for art collectors both nationally and internationally. Her commissioned portfolio ranges from individual portraits to corporate work for such well-known companies as McDonald’s Corporation. Perhaps her favorite commission was with Opportunity International, a non-profit organization that provides micro loans to the poorest of the poor across the world. She was asked to paint a series of portraits of these clients, mostly women, to be used in the organization’s fundraising materials. Through her watercolors, Mirjana conveyed the simple beauty and dignity of their souls.

Click to see her portfolio of commissioned work:  portrait, acrylic, oil

About Mirjana’s personal work

When Mirjana creates, she has no agenda, no grand plans. “I love watching the art unfold,” she says.  “I never know where a painting will start, and I never know where it will end.”  She simply puts water and color to paper, and then she waits as the shapes and colors form, subtly helping them along.  She gives her art the freedom to develop at its own speed, and it responds with its own quiet depth and beauty. Read on to learn more about each of Mirjana’s collections, or contact her directly to discuss a particular piece or to obtain a schedule of upcoming gallery showings.

Floral (Originals | Fine Art Prints)

Nature generates a strong visual pull for Mirjana. As she paints, she engages in a silent conversation with this living world.  Her work brings clarity to the simple, unadorned splendors of these natural vignettes that are sometimes hidden in plain sight.

Ink (Originals | Fine Art Prints)

Every moment in life has its own energy. Mirjana’s paintings reflect this energy – alternating between soft, warm colors and vivid, bold lines. The magnificence of these feelings, being liberated as they are captured in watercolor and ink, evokes its own strong emotional response.

Blue (Originals | Fine Art Prints)

There are an infinite number of shades of blue, and Mirjana chooses her hue according to what speaks to her in the moment. Blue is her color, she says, because it combines simplicity, serenity, and melancholy…like watching the sun set, or waking from a dream. It brings her back to her roots.  

Landscapes (Originals | Fine Art Prints)

The countryside where Mirjana grew up appears often in her art. “When I close my eyes,” she says, “I can still see the trees and branches, moving with the wind…I smell the air…hear the river running its course.” There is so much beauty in this world – even when it’s hidden, overlooked, and forgotten. A beautiful landscape reminds us of the inherent harmony of nature.

Rain (Originals | Fine Art Prints)

“I love the rain,” Mirjana says.  Rain has an uncanny ability to reflect a whole spectrum of emotions. Soft, gentle showers are peaceful, colorful, contented. Gray, bleak days seem to go on forever, while violent thunderstorms eventually give way, allowing rays of hope and shards of sunlight to break through the shadows.

 Studies (Originals | Fine Art Print)

Inspiration comes in many forms, and so Mirjana often stops to sketch what she sees. This collection of drawings prove that even simple moments in our everyday lives – an open gate, a couple walking through a meadow, animals grazing at the zoo – share a raw, understated beauty all their own.

Please contact Mirjana directly to discuss a particular piece from her portfolio or to obtain a schedule of upcoming gallery showings.

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