Today we’d like to introduce you to Marina Alberti.
Hi Marina, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am currently pursuing Bachelor’s degrees in Studio Art Practice & Art History/Theory/Criticism at the University of California, San Diego. I will be finishing my undergrad this year in 2023; then, I will continue on to pursue a Master’s in Fine Arts. I am a San Diego local, being born and raised in Cardiff by the Sea. My story starts at a young age of around six years old when my mother gave me my first set of acrylic paints and canvases. Being a child of creatives, two architects, they have always given me the accessibility to being creative and have always supported my creative endeavors. So, when I asked my mother if I could have more canvases, she happily gave me more and thus started the never-ending cycle of creating artwork because one painting turned into another and another and another… Once I was given the foundation to being a creative, the vision came with it, and it felt as if my life had been. Destined for me at a very young age. I began to enter art competitions, be asked to join art collectives, and present work with other older local artists, opportunities were saved and given to me by my art teachers, and suddenly I felt like a full-time working artist as young as in middle school. Art has always been my passion and my love, and nothing else in the world made more sense than me pursuing art as a career as it felt like my destiny. I’ve always been an artist. Now, I’ve continued my artists pursuits at UCSD, where I am almost finished with completing my double degrees two full quarters early (as I am not only artistically driven but also academically driven too). I’m excited to apply for graduate school soon, and once I’ve received my MFAs, I would like to follow a path as an art professor.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Some of the biggest challenges I’ve faced were around finding my voice. When I started being involved in community projects at a young age, it was admittedly scary to work with older professionals, and the awkwardness of puberty did not help my case. Despite this youthful shyness, I’ve blossomed into a talkative, professional woman who knows exactly who she is and why she belongs here. I’ve become a leader, and I’ve found my voice. Now, I readily become the project lead, prepared to make decisions and organize project efforts. For example, I’m currently working with a group of UCSD undergraduate visual art majors to curate our Senior Art Exhibition at Kamil Gallery on campus, and as soon as we were given the project—I’ve easily assumed the leadership role of managing our efforts in writing our application, setting us up with the facilities managers, and organizing our duties of curating, installing/deinstalling, and planning a reception. I also currently serve as Vice President of Inclusion on the executive board of Pi Beta Phi, a women’s fraternity I am a part of at UCSD.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work is known to be very colorful and happy, and this is a trademark of my style I’d love to keep for life. Every painting is always using a sautéed palette with high chroma colors directly from the tube, and I think this sautéed use of color reflects my own understanding of the world since I am a very happy person. I can’t help but always see the world through rose-colored glasses; everything to me always has something that we can find joy in or be grateful for. I’m from San Diego, I’ve seen a million sunsets in my lifetime—but every sunset always strikes me as to how beautiful our world is and, how lovely the ocean looks, and that this is the world I’m a part of (and I admire its beauty). My older work is more inspired by San Diego and California as it includes a lot of concepts revolving about nature, the ocean, surf culture, etc. but has always also included ideas surrounding femininity, the body, portraiture, etc. This is the type of work that I’ve been seen creating for projects in our community such as 3 electric boxes on the corner of New Castle Ave and Chesterfield Dr in Cardiff, 5+ Arts Alive Banners along the Highway 101, a temporary mural in the Flower Hill Promenade in 2019, a mosaic installation designed for Encinitas Mayor at the time Catherine Blakespear (Santa Fe underpass under the 5 freeway), and the type of art that eventually sent me to Washington D.C. when I won the Congressional Art Competition for the 49th District in 2019. The moment I stood in D.C. staring at my painting in the Cannon Tunnel inside the Capitol, knowing it would be on view to millions for the next year–was a moment like no other. I couldn’t help but feel that everything has always been meant to be and that destiny has my fate in its hands. This was the summer before my senior year of high school, right before I had to apply to universities for my undergraduate studies.
Recently, my artwork has been more inspired by my international upbringing and my recent summer studies abroad. I am a child of immigrant parents from Argentina and Austria and have always felt the influences of my international families and Italian roots as I was growing up. Last summer, I lived in Rome, where I studied the art masters under UCSD art history professor William Tronzo. That summer opened my eyes to a life I’ve only felt glimpses of, and I was reminded of the summers I used to spend with family in Austria as a child. This inspired a full series of paintings about Austria and Italy that involve topics/ideas about familial identity and building self-identity based on cultural heritage. My most recent work still involves these ideas. I’ve recently curated and planned my own Senior Solo Art Exhibition at the Kamil Gallery on campus at UCSD with around 25+ paintings from the last year, with the main theme being international identities. The exhibition was titled “Cin cin! Salute!”
Alright, so before we go, can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I am always open to finding art connections since these connections are the ones that provide the best support and collaboration. It always flatters me and makes me appreciate the relationships I’ve built when my colleagues, teachers, or friends come to me with projects they were given that made them think of me. The art world is not one that is shy or closed off, but rather we are a community that shares ideas, perspectives, projects, etc. This sharing amongst the community is how the best projects and opportunities come to be. Once I had an art exhibition with Kevin Anderson and Mike Doyle that was about surf art, and that amazing opportunity came to me because of a mutual friend who was planning the exhibition.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://albertiartist.wixsite.com/m-albertiartist
- Instagram: instagram.com/m.albertiartist
- Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/marina-alberti-artist
- Other: Phone Number: 760 805 5334
Image Credits
Marina Alberti
