Artist Statement

“ My realistic landscape and figurative paintings feature a harmony of vivid colors that represent the unique light and mood of a scene. While they almost look like a photograph from a distance, one could still see visible brushstrokes of details when seeing them up close.

   To achieve this, I work with traditional oil paints on smooth surface panels. First, I capture and edit my own photos, inspired by my surroundings, then I proceed to create a pencil drawing to compose the overall design. Once I have a vision and feeling in mind, I work in multiple layers from top to button, incrementally improving the values, colors, and highlights until they accurately compose the feeling of the painting.

   Being in harmony with my surroundings is a core memory of my childhood that I aim to carry in every painting. For me, realism serves as an anchor in a precise moment, allowing me to fully immerse in positive emotions and making them last forever. I see each of my paintings as a conversation: they capture the attention from a distance with an interesting subject and they become a captivating intimate conversation when approaching. “

Artist Bio

Adriana Eftimie is a Romanian American oil painter based between St. Petersburg, FL and Martha’s Vineyard, MA. Her work focuses on figurative art, including oil portraits, landscapes inspired by her surroundings and animal portraits.

Born and raised in a small town in Romania, Adriana grew up surrounded by creativity: her mother was the town’s dressmaker, while her grandfather a tailor. Growing up close to nature, she developed an enduring appreciation for its quiet beauty, vivid colors, and warm light. These early influences continue to shape her work today.

‍Entirely self-taught, Adriana spent much of her childhood drawing whenever she had the opportunity, developing skills through curiosity and observation rather than formal training. Painting, however, was unfamiliar territory.

In 2015, Adriana discovered painting almost by accident. Having struggled with color since childhood, she avoided paints and brushes for years. One day, she came across some acrylic paints and brushes belonging to her sister-in-law, who attended art school, and decided to experiment. To her surprise, everything clicked in place. What began as an unexpected experiment quickly became a defining moment. From then on, she immersed herself in the study of art, reading and painting extensively.

Although she began painting with acrylics, Adriana’s curiosity led her to explore a wide range of mediums, including watercolor, gouache, ink, and pencil. Driven by a desire to experiment and discover new ways of expressing ideas, she illustrated the children’s book "Men of Snow”, written by Michael Grant, using gouache. Oil painting, however, remains at the heart of her artistic practice.

After moving to Martha’s Vineyard in 2016, she found inspiration in the island’s landscapes and welcoming community. Along many inspiring island artists, Adriana was fortunate to meet the renowned portrait artist Elizabeth Whelan who became her mentor, guiding her through the practical side of building an art career.

In 2021, Adriana became a full-time artist, initially focusing on commissioned paintings for private collectors across United States, Europe, and Asia. Since then, she expanded her practice to include original works, exhibiting in solo and group shows.

In 2024, Adriana and Elizabeth Whelan collaborated on “Art Adventures”, a 12-episode television series created for Martha’s Vineyard Television (MVTV). Working together behind and in front of the camera, they developed, produced, edited, and hosted the series, exploring a range of art-related subjects, from art forgery and theft to auction houses and the valuation of artwork.

Now based in St. Petersburg, Florida, Adriana continues to return to Martha’s Vineyard, where the island’s landscapes and artistic community remain an important part of her life and work. Inspired by the natural world and the subjects around her, she continues to create original paintings and commissioned works for collectors in the United States and internationally.

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Photo credit: Larisa Stinga Photography

Special Recognitions and Awards:

• 1st Place Award In The Oil Category Of Pet Portrait Contest By Trekell Art Supplies

• Creativity Award, Romania's Education Secretary