IRMA MAKARIUNAITE
Artist Biography
Irma Makariunaite is a graduate of OCAD (The Ontario College of Art of Design) and the University of Toronto with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art History. Her artwork often created on large canvases, incorporates collage and acrylic together. Irma combines a variety of techniques in her work, such as the addition of her own hand-painted papers, photographic transfers of personal and family letters, photographs or other images, collaging ephemera, and attaching found objects to the canvas surface to create abstract compositions that are vibrant and energetic.
Irma has spent a large part of her life in Toronto, where she studied and worked. During her studies at OCAD, she partook in an off-campus program in Florence, Italy, in 1987. In 1992-3, Irma spent some time abroad in Lithuania and exhibited her work at exhibitions in both Vilnius, Lithuania, and Riga, Latvia. Later, As part of her art history studies at the University of Toronto, she travelled to Hazor, Israel in 1999, and spent six weeks working on an archaeological excavation. These travels abroad and her studies of ancient ruins stirred her creative juices and these experiences continue to have impact on her work today. Irma was delighted to be chosen in 2003 to exhibit some of her work in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She also has continued since 1995, to exhibit her artwork at The Collectors’ Gallery of Art in Calgary, Alberta on a regular basis.
Following the passing of her mother, whose art was a huge inspiration to her, Irma relocated to a rural setting in Norfolk County in the south west part of Ontario. Following this transition from city to country life, Makariunaite was rejuvenated. The quiet and peaceful life in the countryside has inspired her and has allowed her to focus and refine her art. Today Irma continues to actively participating in art exhibitions throughout South Western Ontario and in Calgary, AB.
In 2022 alone, she participated in a number of exhibitions, including a group exhibition, “Uncommon Perspectives” at the Westland Gallery in London, Ontario, a solo show titled “An Homage” dedicated to her mother, at the Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre in June, “Convergence” a three-person show, at the Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre in Tillsonburg, ON., and the “New Arrivals” exhibition at The Collectors’ Gallery of Art in Calgary, AB this past summer.
Makariunaite’s work is currently on display at the Paris Bohemian Gallery in Paris, Ontario. She is represented by The Collectors’ Gallery of Art, in Calgary, Alberta, and will be participating in the Square Foot Show at the Westland Gallery this November, in London, Ontario. In 2024, Irma will be having a “Mother and Daughter” exhibition at the Woodstock Art Gallery, in Woodstock, Ontario.
Currently, Irma resides outside of Delhi, Ontario where she has her own art studio where she both creates, and exhibits her artwork annually during the Norfolk Studio Tour.
IRMA MAKARIUNAITE
EDUCATION
- University of Toronto, Toronto, ON 1996 – 2001
Honours Bachelor of Fine Art History - Archaeological Excavation, Hazor, Israel 2000
- Vilnius Art Academy, Vilnius, Lithuania 1992 – 1993
Independent Study Program - Ontario College of Art and Design, Toronto, ON 1982 – 1987
AOCA Diploma, General Studies Program - Off-Campus Program in Florence Italy, Specialized in Fine Art 1986 – 1987
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
- 2022 AN HOMAGE, mixed media and fibre, Solo Exhibition, Ingersoll Creative Arts Centre, Ingersoll, ON
NORFOLK STUDIO TOUR, On-Site, Delhi, ON - 2021 NORFOLK STUDIO TOUR, On-Site, Delhi, ON
- 2020 NORFOLK STUDIO TOUR, On-Site, Delhi, ON
- 2019 SYNERGY, Solo Exhibition, Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre, Tillsonburg, ON
NORFOLK STUDIO TOUR, On-Site, Delhi, ON - 2018 NORFOLK STUDIO TOUR, On-Site, Delhi, ON
- 2017 NORFOLK STUDIO TOUR, On-Site, Delhi, ON
- 2015 IRMA MAKARIUNAITE: SOLO EXHIBITION, Ingersoll Public Library, Ingersoll, ON
- 1992 – 1993 IRMA MAKARIUNAITE: SOLO EXHIBITION, Gallery Academia, Vilnius,
Lithuania
AWARDS/ GRANTS
- 2024 Recipient of Ontario Arts Council (OAC) Exhibition Assistance Grant
- 2019 Recipient of Ontario Arts Council (OAC) Exhibition Assistance Grant
- 1993 Recipient of Ontario Arts Council (OAC) Emerging Artist’s Grant
JURY WORK
Exhibition Juror for International exhibition titled “Visual Elements 65” Between
two sister cities Woodstock, Ontario and Sylvania, Ohio, USA, Woodstock Art Gallery,
Woodstock, ON. Canada, and Canticle Centre, Lourds University, Sylvania, Ohio, USA
Can You add this video As Well
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
- 2024 MOTHER AND DAUGHTER EXHIBITION, Woodstock Art Gallery, Woodstock, ON
RED, The Collectors’ Gallery of Art, Calgary, AB - 2023 NORFOLK STUDIO TOUR, Two Person exhibition On-Site, Delhi, ON
UKRAINE, In support of Ukraine and Ukrainian Artists
The Collectors’ Gallery of Art, Calgary, AB - 2022 SQUARE FOOT SHOW, The Westland Gallery, London, ON
THREADS AMOK, Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre, Tillsonburg, ON - 2022 THE PARIS BOHEMIAN, Open Call For Artists, Paris, ON
- 2022 CONVERGENCE, Three-person Exhibition, Tillsonburg Station Arts
Centre, Tillsonburg, ON
NORFOLK STUDIO TOUR, Two person exhibition, On-Site, Delhi, ON
NEW ARRIVALS, The Collectors’ Gallery Of Art, Calgary, AB
UNCOMMON PERSPECTIVES, Group Exhibition, Westland Gallery,
London, ON - 2021 IN VIEW OF THE ARTIST Juried Exhibition, St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art
Centre, St. Thomas, ON - 2020 VISUAL ELEMENTS 62, Juried Exhibition, Woodstock Art Gallery,
Woodstock, ON
VISUAL ELEMENTS 61, Juried Exhibition, Woodstock Art Gallery,
Woodstock, ON
UNFETTERED, A Fibre Arts Exhibition by the Fibre Arts Bunch,
Ingersoll Creative Art Centre, Ingersoll, ON
OXFORD CREATIVE CONNECTIONS, Rotating Exhibits,
Woodstock General Hospital, Woodstock, ON - 2018 OXFORD CREATES ART EXPO, Cowan Park, Woodstock, ON
PIECES, An Exhibition by the London Collage Collective,
Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre, Tillsonburg, ON - 2018-2020 FIBRE CONTENT, 4th Biennial Juried Exhibition of Contemporary Fibre
Art, Art Gallery of Burlington, Travelling to other rotating venues
throughout northern Ontario, including Timmins and Wellington
County Museum until June 2020
VISIONS, Central Ontario Artists Association, The Art Gallery of
Hamilton, Hamilton, ON - 2017 CANADA 150 MEMBERS EXHIBITION, Tillsonburg Station Arts Centre,
Tillsonburg, ON
CANADA 150 EXHIBITION, Artists of Oxford Members Exhibition,
The Arts Project Gallery, London, ON
MEMBERS EXHIBITION, Ingersoll Creative Art Centre, Ingersoll, ON
VISIONS, Central Ontario Artists Association, The Art Gallery of
Hamilton, Hamilton, ON - 2016 CENTRAL ONTARIO ARTISTS ASSOCIATION, The Art Gallery of
Hamilton, Hamilton, ON - 2015 LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE GALLERY, Port Dover, ON
OXFORD STUDIO TOUR, Burgessville, ON - 2014 CHRISTMAS IN PARIS, Kindred Spirits Art Fair, Paris, ON
PHASES, Artists of Oxford, Woodstock Art Gallery, Woodstock, ON
ARTISTS OF OXFORD MEMBERS EXHIBITION, Lighthouse Theatre
Gallery, Port Dover, ON
OXFORD STUDIO TOUR, Burgessville, ON
VISUAL ELEMENTS, 56th Annual Juried Exhibition, Woodstock Art
Gallery, Woodstock, ON
ARTISTS OF OXFORD MEMBERS EXHIBITION, Tillsonburg Station
Arts Centre, Tillsonburg, ON - 2013 CHRISTMAS IN PARIS, Kindred Spirits Art Fair, Paris, ON
VISUAL ELEMENTS, 55TH ANNUAL JURIED EXHIBITION,
The Woodstock Art Gallery, Woodstock, ON
JURIED ART EXHIBITION, Norfolk Art Centre, Simcoe, ON
ARTISTS OF OXFORD, Lighthouse Theatre Gallery, Port Dover, ON
OXFORD STUDIO TOUR, Ingersoll Creative Art Centre, Ingersoll, ON - 2012 WAR AND PEACE JURIED ART EXHIBITION, Glenhyrst Art Gallery of
Brant, Brantford, ON
ARTS COUNTRY VISUAL ARTS COMPETITION EXHIBITION,
Norfolk Arts Centre, Simcoe, ON
OXFORD STUDIO TOUR, Elmhurst Inn and Spa, Ingersoll, ON
OXFORD STUDIO TOUR PREVIEW EXHIBITION, Woodstock Art
Gallery, Woodstock, ON
WATERS, Artists of Oxford Members Exhibition, Cambridge Centre for
the Arts, Cambridge, ON
BLACK AND WHITE EXHIBITION, The Collectors’ Gallery Of Art,
Calgary, AB - 2011 OXFORD CREATES, Annual Fine Art Show and Sale
Craigowan Golf and Country Club, Woodstock, ON - 2010 ARTISTS OF OXFORD – Members Exhibition, Woodstock Art Gallery,
Woodstock, ON
LET IT SNOW, The Collectors’ Gallery Of Art, Calgary, AB - 2009 INAUGURAL ARTISTS OF OXFORD MEMBERS EXHIBIT
Bronson’s Steak House, Woodstock, ON - 2006 BLACK AND WHITE EXHIBITION, The Collectors’ Gallery Of Art,
Calgary, AB
2005 GROUP EXHIBITION, Annual Exhibition of Recent Works,
Lithuanian Museum and Archives of Canada, Mississauga, ON - 2004 OUR STUFF IS BETTER THAT THEIR STUFF, Group Exhibition
Gallery 1313, Toronto, ON - 2003 CROSSING BORDERS, Curated and participated in a travelling Group
Exhibition of Lithuanian Canadian Artists
Ciurlionis Art Gallery, Chicago, USA - 2001 CANADIAN PRINTS, The Collectors’ Gallery Of Art, Calgary, AB
- 1999 MOTHER AND DAUGHTER SHOW, Lithuanian Museum and
Archives, Mississauga, ON
CANADIAN PRINTS AND DRAWINGS,
The Collectors’ Gallery Of Art, Calgary, AB - 1998 MYTH AND MEMORY, Mother and Daughter Show
Tableau Vivant Gallery, 917 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON - 1996 COLOUR AND FORM SOCIETY, Juried Art Exhibition
Etobicoke City Hall Art Gallery, Etobicoke, ON - 1995 CANADIAN PRINTS AND DRAWING OF THE 19TH & 20TH CENTURIES,
The Collectors’ Gallery Of Art, Calgary, AB - 1992 – 1993 SEL (Super Ex-Libris), The Arsenal, Group Exhibition of local
Lithuanian and Canadian artists, Riga, Latvia
GOOD EVILS, Museum of Modern Art, Traveling group exhibition of
local Lithuanian and Canadian artists to Kaunas and Klaipeda,
Lithuania
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