It is my intention to be as spontaneous as possible in my painting.  As an abstract painter I rely on strong impulsive action and response to "create" my imagery on a canvas. 

Much of what I discover on the canvas I have recalled to be observed in reality – in nature or art – and long forgotten.  The appearance and combining of these snippets is spontaneous.  I am enthralled and my work sustained by the depth and breadth of unconscious information at hand.

 This makes my work loosely improvisational, strong in color, gesture and brush mark.  It is direct and unpredictable in execution.

 I work on a series of paintings to see how variations play out.  Often I will work on three or more paintings simultaneously.

 A strong, clear color will come to mind.   Mixing the pigment and choosing the size of brush I’ll make a broad calligraphic mark on the canvas.  In response to that mark, the color, size and placement of the next stroke will occur to me.   After every brush mark I wait for the awareness of the next step, while contemplating what is already there. 

 The brush strokes and color move the eye over the canvas in a pattern, a choreography, if you will.  My eyes move with the direction of the mark or marks, and very much like in a dance I feel where the next step, the next mark should be.  Insight can be rapid and exciting, or require patience.  Working on a painting steadily will exhaust the call and response mechanism, while I understand there is more to come.  I can refresh this mechanism by focusing on another painting.  

 I will work on a painting until information no longer comes, the movement rests, the painting completed.  There may be feeling of fulfillment and satisfaction, or in the best work, a sense of unease in the balance, when culmination comes through the feeling of anticipation. 

Mirena is a visual artist based in New York city.

I attended Pratt Institute as a recipient of the “Raw Talent Scholarship.” After graduating, I was recruited by Ralph Lauren to illustrate Ralph Lauren’s fashion concepts in photo realistic color pencil drawings. When I left Ralph Lauren at the age of 25, I was as the youngest director in company history. 

After Ralph Lauren, I started a brand identity and package design company. I led a team that designed brand identities, packaging, and print communications for companies that include; Estée Lauder, Elizabeth Arden, Christian Dior, Fendi, Liz Claiborne, Coach, Cosmair, Revlon, Perry Ellis, Clarins, and Stuart Weitzman. My work took me all over the world. I’ve created brand identities and package design for companies and sports teams in South Korea, Australia, Monaco, Switzerland, China and Canada. I also designed athlete brand identities for Tiger Woods and former heavyweight champions Evander Holyfield and Jon Ruiz. 

In 2004 I relocated to San Francisco to become the creative director for a major online travel website. It didn’t take long for me to fall in love with the city. When I’m not working as a professional creative, I can be found working in my San Francisco Mission district art studio or in various city parks drawing pen and ink illustrations. 

As a fine artist, I am multi-disciplined and enjoy working in a variety of mediums. I tend to be representational in my work but can move from photo-realism to abstract comfortably. I enjoy creating pieces that use bold strong colors combined with high-detail. I like unusual subject matters and enjoy combining unlikely elements into my pieces. For instance, combining my pen and ink illustrations with antique maps. My fashion background continues to be a theme in my work, inspiring me to explore functional and wearable art, as well as illustrations to adorn and enhance walls. 

Hugi The Great Productions and Mercedes Segesvary support and encourage the artistic pursuits of funky little sisters around the world.

My work is representational. Below the surface of this quotidian subject matter, my concerns are with light, color, composition and spatial dynamics as well as the imagery itself. Drawing especially from the figure, is a basis for all my painting regardless of subject matter.