Artist Profile
Galina Marcus
Artist Statement
What is the relationship between physical reality and perceived reality?
I paint portraits and still lifes as representations not simply of how a subject appears, but of how it is experienced. We instinctively form impressions of people that extend beyond their outward appearance. We sense qualities that cannot be measured or fully explained, creating internal portraits that often differ from physical likeness. Through distortion and abstraction, I seek to give those unseen perceptions a visual form.
Each painting begins with personal experience. The complexities of womanhood and motherhood, moments of emotional intensity, and questions of spirituality all shape my work. Yet my intention is not autobiography. I hope to create space for viewers to recognize something of themselves, their own perceptions, memories, and inner lives, within the work.
While my paintings remain representational, I intentionally move away from literal description. By allowing intuition to guide form, color, and gesture, I explore the tension between what is visible and what is deeply felt, inviting the viewer to look beyond appearance and consider the invisible dimensions that shape our understanding of one another and the world around us.
Artist Bio
I’m a self-taught artist, a mental wellness advocate, and an environmental enthusiast. I was born in Moscow in the mid-80s where I lived and worked until moving to San Diego, CA in 2015.
While painting and drawing since early childhood, I only began pursuing a career as a professional artist in 2018 when I decided to join San Dieguito Art Guild in North County San Diego.
I left my corporate marketing career of two decades to devote myself to making art and serving the art community as best I can. Since 2021, I’ve been hosting a podcast, called In The Art Scene where I interviewed art professionals from all over the world about their personal journeys and career paths. In 2023, using my marketing skills and passion for the local San Diego art community, I launched sandiegoartdirectory.com and founded a non-profit of the same name. Its mission is to support access to and promotion of the local arts and culture in San Diego County and Tijualna.
I am an active member of the Carlsbad-Oceanside Art League (COAL) and am also showing my work in group exhibitions around San Diego County.
You may find my work in private collections in the United States, Canada, and on the European Continent.
