From the Adriatic to California: The Early Life of Mario Mirkovich
Mario Mirkovich was born in a small Dalmatian fishing village on the Croatian side of the Adriatic Sea. He pursued formal training in the arts, earning a degree in commercial art in Split, Croatia. Before arriving in the United States in 1967, Mirkovich was employed as a commercial artist at Narodni List, Croatia's longest running weekly newspaper, as well as a designer for product packaging and an art instructor. He became interested in oil painting shortly after his arrival to America, where he honed his skills by experimenting with various mediums, techniques, and methods. His current work is the result of an extensive and determined effort to continuously evolve as an artist.
Capturing the California Coast: Mirkovich's Artistic Practice
Mario Mirkovich works in oil on canvas, creating landscapes of the San Pedro and Palos Verdes areas of Southern California. Inspired by memories of the fishing village from his youth, the paintings he creates are illuminating testaments to the power of natural beauty. As an artist, he has developed over the years, steadily creating work that represents the environment that surrounds him at his home in San Pedro. He has succeeded in creating art that is not a mere copy of nature but a pensive expression of the ephemeral loveliness contained in the landscapes that often go unnoticed by the people who live beside them. His subjects include the dramatic coastal cliffs of Palos Verdes, scenes from Abalone Cove, and views of his native Croatia.
Recognition and Community Involvement
Mario Mirkovich is a member of the California Art Club and has become a fixture in Southern California's art community through his paintings, teaching, and charitable works. His involvement with various art organizations and exhibitions has led to an avid interest in his art throughout Southern California, with his paintings having been shown and purchased in a variety of locations. Mirkovich also teaches painting classes at the Palos Verdes Art Center and at his own gallery. He is known locally as the premiere painter of the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Mario's Art Gallery is located at 2438 S. Western Avenue in San Pedro, California.