Artist Andriani Mikolaitis

Andriani Mikolaitis

About

I was born on the Mediterranean Island of Cyprus and emigrated to the U.S.A. in September of 1974 .Painting has been a part of my life for as long as I remember. Since 1998 creating art is my profession. My love of all nature is a source of inspiration for my paintings. I find beauty in unexpected things, places, light and shadow forms. I feel challenged to transfer the excitement and delight I find in my subject to the rest of the world through my art. I feel challenged to create work in different styles and media. Many of my paintings are realistic but to express certain ideas or feelings I find it better to paint in a more abstract way. A series of paintings depicting the four elements (Fire, Wind, Water and Earth) was based on flowers but I focused on the wonderful intricate line compositions of a flower's structure as my base drawing to create the small abstract watercolors. I enjoy creating portraits of people. I consider it a challenge to capture an expression that brings to light part of the persons inner psyche.I also create paintings as a result of my need to visually explore and discuss various social and political issues. I find this type of art to be most challenging. An example of this type of work is the acrylic painting Three Women, which is now owned by the Republic of Cyprus and is on public display in the building of the Cyprus Mission to the United Nations in New York City. … Read More

Location: New York, NY, United States

Work

Colored Pencil - Taught at Grace Day School Spring 2010
Pencil Drawing - 6 week Children's Summer Class Summer 2010
Colored Pencil - Taught at Grace Day School Winter 2011
Pencil Drawing - 5 week Children's Summer Class Summer 2011

Amityville Artists Circle 2011- Member Show at the Circle Gallery; Won Third Place for "Foggy Morning, Amityville"

Exhibitions: "X-Marks the spot" at Mills Pond House Gallery - July 2010; Won honorable mention for "Kayaking on Ketcham's Creek, Amityville,Long Island"
Amityville Artists Circle 2009 Juried Show at the Circle Gallery; Won First Place for Kayaking on Ketcham's Creek, Amityville
November, 2007 Solo Show at the Amityville Public Library
October 6, 2007 Participated in the Annual Studio Tour sponcored by the Amityville Artists Circle
September and October 2007, Group show at the Circle Gallery
October 2006 Open Studio Show
May 2006 First United Methodist Church Art Show and Sale
Summer 2005 Huntington Arts Council Members Show
June 2004 East End Arts Council Savor Long Island Juried Exhibit, Green Peppers received First Place
November 2003 -Unveiling of the mural at Amityville Public Library
June 2002 BACCA 14th Annual Art Exhibition (Won Honorable Mention in Watercolors category for Tomatoes from my Garden)
April 2002 Amityville Artists Circle Group Exhibit at the Copiague Library
January 2002 One Woman Show at the Amityville Public Library
September 2001 - Art League of Long Island Members Showcase
June 2001 - East End Arts Council Juried Exhibition Flora and Fauna
April 2001 - Amityville Historical Society European Coffee Tasting and Art Show
September 2000 - Art League of Long Island Members Showcase
April 1996 - Art League of Long Island Gallery Exhibit
Grants: January 2003 Received a grant from the New York State council on the Arts to create a 40 long by 4 high mural in the Amityville Public Library
Fall 2001 Special Opportunity Stipend from the New York Foundation for the Arts and the East End Arts Council
Collections: Private collections in U.S.A, Sweden, Greece and Cyprus and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus
Commissions: Portraits, Landscapes
Galleries: Circle Gallery, Amityville, New York … Read More

Education

1996-2004 Various Classes and Workshops at Art League of Long Island
1996 Nassau Community College, 36 credits in art courses
1983 Polytechnic University, New York, BS in Civil Engineering
Affiliations: Amityville Artists Circle - Founding member(current member of the Executive Board and past treasurer and president) )
East End Arts Council
Huntington Arts Council (Chairperson New York State Arts Council Grant Application Review Panel in 2003 and 2004), … Read More