About Marina Kuran

"We have three original paintings plus a print and a digital piece by Marina in our home. Often, visitors comment on at least one, admiring the themes, colors and skill. Over time I notice that I have not tired of her work, and the beauty and feeling of the art seems to increase with time. Her productions are varied in style, and all add great spirit and unique depth. We feel very blessed to have a representative variety of her art and feel our home would be much less attractive without it. -Iris Fudell, Tacoma, WA

"I have Marina's painting, 'From the Light of Different Worlds'. What I most enjoy about it is the way it draws the eye to the houses, lit from within, families and their lives hidden from us; yet the sense of the magnificence of the universe is as much part of the painting as the sense of the changing seasons and the lives of the families changing with them."
-Bronwyn Richards, Seattle, WA

"I purchased Marina's artwork, 'Leaping' in 2005. I immediately fell in love with it, not only because of the colors but also because of the spirit and playfulness that is expressed by two dolphins leaping out of the ocean. As the artwork is in a location I pass by every day, it makes me not only feel free, but also peaceful and brings joy every time."
-Gitta Westra, Los Altos, CA

"Marina's teaching helped me to both rekindle my involvement with art and to explore new techniques. What was most important to me was that the techniques turned out to be more than outer ways of moving paint - they are also inner ways of moving intuition, inspiration and resistance. You can't ask more of a teacher than to move you, and she certainly did. Morover, her own art demonstrates how these techniques come out to the world." - Drew Ross, M.D., Captain Cook, HI

"I highly encourage anyone thinking about taking one of Marina's workshops.   I entered two of the pieces that I created 
in her workshop in an art show, and they both sold in addition to two other pieces that I created using the
tools that I learned from the workshop itself.  Her workshop helped to re-inspire me after not painting for several years."
    -Jennifer Lancaster, Kailua-Kona, HI

Marina Kuran was enrolled in her first formal drawing class at the age of 8. An accomplished and versatile painter in oil, watercolor and acrylic, Marina also has a passion for creating digital images. A gypsy-blooded nature enthusiast at heart, she has traveled extensively, including the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Mexico, Guatemala and Brasil. Marina’s love of travel and her experiences outdoors are profound sources of inspiration and creativity. “It is important to me that my work be a part of what is joyful and uplifting in this world. Whether my inspiration comes from within or from my surroundings, I am drawn to express the magical, whimsical spirit of what I see and feel. I use bright, bold colors, rounded shapes (there are no boxes, rectangles or hard, straight edges in nature - those are all man-made shapes) and often unusual light. The highest praise comes when one of my paintings speaks to a child or the child within us all.”

Marina’s work has been shown in the Pacific Northwest, California, Florida, New York and Hawaii and hangs in the homes and offices of numerous collectors around the country. Marina has taught painting and drawing and facilitated a children’s mural project in Tacoma, WA. She currently lives in Kona, HI. Contact her at MarinaKuran@gmail.com to arrange a show or commission.

B.A., Environmental Studies/Psychology, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA

Hawaii Artists, an on-line gallery (www.hawaiiart.com), Kealakekua, HI, 2006-Present

Pacific Gallery Artists Member Show, Friends Gallery, Lakewood, WA 2003 (invitational)

Painting for Children, Manitou Art Center, Metro. Parks of Tacoma, Tacoma, WA, 1995-2004

Drawing for Adults, Manitou Art Center, Metro. Parks of Tacoma, Tacoma, WA, 1996