About Marian
Born in Limerick, Ireland, the daughter of a meteorologist, Marian spent her early childhood on Wake Island and Alaska, where she acquired her father’s love of science, her mother’s artistic bent, and her parents’ mutual love of the outdoors.
“I assumed that art was a natural part of life, a way that everyone expressed themselves”
During her teens, Marian focused on abstracts until she took a course at Humboldt University in representational drawing, which she remembers “truly opened my eyes”.
Today, Marian’s art combines fine details with soft hued touches which give her paintings a warmth that makes them seem to come alive.
After graduating from Humboldt with a degree in wildlife management, Marian moved to the Big Island of Hawai’i in 1976, where she has received many awards and commissions for her art, particularly her paintings of Hawaiʻi's native birds.
Marian was also commissioned to paint a mural for the Hyatt Regency in Waikoloa, and has done many exclusive private commissions for lovers of fine art both in Hawaiʻi and on the mainland. Her art has even been profiled in Bishop Museum Natural History calendars amongst others.
She has won numerous awards over the years, the most recent being Best of Show in two-dimensional art at the Volcano Art Center’s (VAC) 2009 Hawaiʻi Nei juried exhibition. One of the top art venues in the state, the non-profit VAC exhibits works from more than 300 artists, and is located in both Volcano Village and the Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island.
She created a series of paintings of Kauai’s most endangered birds and plants for the rooms at the Aston Kauai Resort from which an edition of 2,000 prints was published. The proceeds from that edition were donated to the Hawai’i Nature Conservancy.
Several of her original paintings have been presented to Hawaiʻi Senators Inouye and Akaka for their contributions in preserving Hawaiʻi's native wildlife.
Marian at a Mea Makamae show in Slovang, CA
The Living Endemic Birds of Hawai‘i: Mea Makamae
In 2007, Marian was approached to create a series of 33 life-size watercolors to ultimately benefit the Native Hawaiian Crow or ʻalalā. The originals, images of Hawaiʻi's native endemic birds, where purchased almost immediately by a private collector. Prints of various sizes where produced to further the effort. Full–size prints where bound into a double elephant folio by master bookbinder Jésus Sanchez in Hilo. Read more at Hanahou.
Curriculum Vitae
Born
1953 – Limerick, Ireland
Education
1975 – B.S. Wildlife Management, Humboldt State University
2005 – A.D.N., Hawaiʻi Community College
2006 – Black Belt, Tae Kwon Do
Awards & Recognitions
1984 – Watercolor selected for “Mauna Kea Condominiums” sales model
2001 – Hawaiʻi Wildlife Conservation Stamp
2009 – Jurors’ Choice, Hawaiʻi Nei juried art competition
2009 – Best Native Bird, Hawaiʻi Nei juried art competition
2010 – Honorable Mention – Hawaiʻi Nei juried art competition
2010 – Honorable Mention – 34th Annual Fall Arts Festival, EHCC
2012 – Hanahou Magazine – Hawaiian Airlines Magazine
Update in progress
Solo
1977 – Volcano Art Center, Hawaiʻi
1979 – Volcano Art Center, Hawaiʻi
1982 – Volcano Art Center, Hawaiʻi
1983 – Stones Gallery, Kauai
1984 – Stones Gallery, Kauai
1985 – Stones Gallery, Kauai
1986 – Volcano Art Center, Hawaiʻi
2001 – “Marian Berger- Recent Works” VAC
2001 – “Recent Works” VAC
2011 – Living Endemic Birds of Hawaiʻi book Release VAC
2011 – Kiawe Kitchen, Hawaiʻi
2011 – Living Endemic Birds of Hawaiʻi Book
2011 – Artist-In-Residence, Denali National Park, AK.
2013 – Living Endemic Birds of Hawaiʻi, Wildling Museum, Solvang, CA.
Group
1987 – 1988 – Bishop Museums Engagement Calendar
1987 – Aston-Kauai Resort/Hawaiʻi Nature Conservancy project
1889 – Hawaiʻi Nature Conservancy greeting & thank you cards, plus commissioned paintings to thank Sens. Akaka & Inouye
1989 – Waimea Design Show invitational
1989 – Birds in Art show – VAC invitational
1992 – “For Art’s Sake” invitational, Kauai Museum
2010 – Malama Aina – Artists in Conservation Invitational
2010 – Third Biennial Juried Competition – “Abstract Only”, Wailoa Center
2010 – Honorable Mention & Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts Purchase 34th Annual Fall Arts Festival, East Hawaiʻi Cultural Council
Update in progress
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All images © 2022 Marian Berger Art. All Rights Reserved.
