Britni Mara

Chicago, IL, USA

About the Artist

Britni Mara, is a visual artist living and working in Chicago. She graduated in 2013 from Bradley University with a BFA in Studio Art and completed post-graduate work at the Siena Art Institute in Siena, Italy in 2014. Mara has created several different bodies of abstract artwork in the last decade, each showcasing a new medium and topic.

While living in Italy, Mara noticed a cultural shift in the way women were viewed. From this observation she built The Cosmetic Series, painted with only beauty products, which sparked conversation about the pressure women feel to wear makeup in the U.S. largely due to the way it is marketed.

In 2017, Mara's work shifted towards a more sustainable art practice. She began painting from entirely edible, natural ingredients like beets, teas, turmeric, and avocado pits. She developed The Natural Series for several years, creating her own technique for making "paint" loosely off of natural dying processes. The artist has taught workshops and sold her natural work in a variety of cities across the U.S.

The artist's most recent series entitled The New Body revolves around her own experiences as a woman and centers on themes of sexuality, self-sexualizing, and body positivity. She photographs women and then overlays abstract painting and drawing on each photograph in an attempt to venerate those who embrace their sexuality on camera.

Recent Exhibitions

Collections

Features

2020 Inside the Studio | Saatchi Art | Feature Story
2019 Apologue Liqueurs Almanac | Feature Story
2018 Voyage Chicago | Feature Story