Biography
Emilia Van Nest Markovich was raised in New York by parents of Puerto Rican and Dutch descent. She can remember always drawing as a child, and being very supported by her parents in her artistic endeavors. She was inspired by trips to museums, and by the art books in her house. She has always had art in her life, and knew from an early age that art was the way she wanted and needed to express herself. Says the artist, “I love the way that art can make you feel, how it can bring you to tears or make you feel boundless happiness. I love the way it connects and touches people.” After receiving a BFA in painting at the University of New Mexico and later obtained a graduate degree in Art from the University of Northern Colorado. She currently works from her studio and teaches elementary art at the Aurora Public Schools. She has received several awards for outstanding services in her district. Emilia works with chalk pastels on black paper to attain highly saturated color and contrast. She incorporates the use of symbolic imagery and rich surface marks to convey her ideas and emotions. Says the artist, “The personal ideas expressed in my work originate from environmental and domestic space and the interactions and relationships between objects. I have created a vocabulary of shapes and markings that convey a theme of deep emotion and meaning. The contrast between the chalk pastel colors and the muted black paper helps to create a rich surface application. Most work contains symbolic imagery, shapes that are familiar in the domestic environment, yet esoteric in placement, form, size and color. I work the initial concept into a composition of space and shapes. Then layers of color and distinct patterning are introduced. The work usually changes numerous times until a certain energy and tension is achieved.” Markovich believes her work communicates a sense of personal place, an emotional connection to color and symbolism. Markovich’s work appears in numerous private and corporate collections throughout the country. The Art In Public Places Program has purchased several pieces for the State of Colorado. Galleries in Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs and Chicago have represented her work.
