Artist Statement
I have a strange relationship with people. I am at once fascinated and repulsed—fear and loathing intertwined with a joyful embrace. This duality in my at-odds psyche has turned into an obsession, which I express the only way I know how: through figurative art. When I render the human form in my figurative oil paintings, I dig deep into the essence of the person, revealing who and what they are. I aim to show their insides, for better or worse. By pushing and pulling the paint, the light and shadow, I lay both them and myself bare on the canvas, attempting to find the humanity, the God-spark, in them—and in me.
There is nothing more beautiful and terrible than a human being, making this my favorite subject of exploration. I feel my own soul in creating nude paintings and portrait paintings, as the flesh is always calling me.
For me, only oil paint will do. I fell in love with this medium in my first college painting classes, captivated by its soft, sensual feel and rich intensity of color. I paint thin, in many successive layers. This time-consuming technique gives my commissioned art a rich luminous quality. Due to the brief, expressive nature of the images I am creating, and the time they take to develop, I work with photographs of the models as a reference—many taken myself and some in collaboration with photographers.
I am often asked which painting is my favorite. The answer is always the one I am doing now. The process of watching each work unfold, that moment when the flat canvas begins to breathe, is the fuel that drives me to keep creating.
Thank you for your interest,
M Vlasic
**Exhibitions, Awards & Collections**
**Hwy 62 Open Studios Tour**
Yucca Valley, CA October 2026
**Everything but the Kitchen Sink Show** - La Luz De Jesus Gallery, 4633 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, CA - Opening July 11, 2025
**Highway 62 Open Studio Tours**
Yucca Valley, CA October 2021
**Conjoined**, Copro Gallery, 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica, CA - Invitational Group Show - Opening January 20, 2018
Awarded 2nd & 3rd Place as well as Judges Choice in Art for the commissioned artworks “Matilda” & "Charlemagne” at the Denver County Fair, 2016.
**Cat Art Show LA**, Think Tank Gallery, Los Angeles, CA - Invitational Group Exhibit - March 26-April 26 2016
Awarded 1st Place in Contemporary Painting for the figurative oil painting “Matilda” at the Denver County Fair, 2015.
Awarded 1st Place in Contemporary Painting for the figurative art piece “Warrior” at the Denver County Fair, 2014.
Two paintings “Paul V” and “Andrew” added to the permanent collection of the Leslie Lohman Museum of Gay & Lesbian Art in Soho, NY.
**Art Collector’s Starter Kit**, Corey Helford Gallery, 8530 Washington Blvd., Culver City, CA - Invitational Group Exhibit - March 23-April 13, 2013.
**Faces**, Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities, 6901 Wadsworth Blvd. Arvada, CO - June 2nd-August 15th, 2012.
Center for Visual Arts, 915 Santa Fe Drive Denver, CO - "Outfigured" Invitational Group Exhibit, February 2nd - April 6th, 2012.
Walker Fine Art Gallery, 300 W. 11th Ave Denver, CO, – Group Exhibit, May 13th – June 22nd, 2011.
Honorable Mention, Professional Artist Magazine portrait painting cover competition, February 2011.
Walker Fine Art Gallery, 300 W. 11th Ave Denver, CO, – “Altered”, showcasing nude painting by M Vlasic, solo exhibit, June 4th – July 11th, 2010.
Walker Fine Art Gallery, 300 W. 11th Ave Denver, CO, – “2010 the Year in Preview”, Group show, January 11th-February 20th, 2010.
Best of the Arts District Exhibit, 910 Arts, 910 Santa Fe Dr. Denver, CO – Awarded Best in Show (2D) by Denver Art Museum curator Gwen Chanzit and Foothills Art Center curator Michael Chavez. December 18th, 2009 - January 11th, 2010.
Anthony Camera Studio Gallery, 900 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO – “3 on 3” Group exhibit with Anthony Camera & Paul Moschell. September 25th – October 30th, 2009.
Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Cherry Creek North, Denver, CO – 3rd year exhibitor, July 3, 4 & 5, 2009.
Space Gallery 765 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO – “Eye to I” main gallery solo exhibit with Penelope Caldwell, June 12th – July 5th 2009.
Kitchen’s Ink Gallery, 757 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO – Solo Exhibition, November 1st – December 1st, 2008.
Core Gallery, 900 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO - 2 of 2 pieces juried into the "Place" show by Ivar Zeile, owner of Plus+ Gallery. Awarded Best in Show for the portrait painting "Please wait to be seated", September 12th – October 10th, 2008.
Space Gallery 765 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO - 4 of 4 pieces juried into the "Untitled" show by Michael Paglea, Westword art critic; Awarded 1 of 3 equal commendations for the painting "Caley III", July 11- August 16, 2008.
Cherry Creek Arts Festival, Cherry Creek North, Denver, CO – 2nd year exhibitor, July 4, 5 & 6, 2008.
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_Press:_
February 2015: Feature artist in 1 of 1 Magazine: http://1of1magazine.com/colorado-artist-feature-marie-vlasic/
February 2014: “100 Colorado Creatives” in the Westword, by Susan Froyd blogs.westword.com/showandtell/2014/02/marie_vlasic_black_rock_projec.php
April 2012: Review of “Out Figured” in the Westword by Michael Paglia.
March 2012: Review of “Out Figured” in the Denver Post by Ray Mark Rinaldi.
June 2011: Review of the White Series at Walker Fine Art by Westword art critic Michael Paglia.
December 2010: Named one of “Ten Artists Who Left Their Mark on Colorado in 2010” by Westword art critic Michael Paglia. http://blogs.westword.com/showandtell/2010/12/influential_artists_in_colorado_2010.php
August 2010: Painting "Michelle" featured on billboard in the Denver Theater District.
July 2010: Review/article of “Altered” solo exhibit on Adobe Airstream online arts & culture magazine http://www.adobeairstream.com/elements/article/410.html
June 2010: Review of “Altered” solo exhibit by Westword art critic Michael Paglia in June 30th edition. Picture of “Candice II” featured.
June 2, 2010: Featured guest on the “Untitled Art Show” www.untitledartshow.com.
June 2010: Painting “Candice” featured in the “Night & Day” section of the Westword with a write-up on the
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