Born in Croatia to a family of artists, Rajka Kupesic was four when she was initiated into ballet, then onto the stage. Around the age of thirteen she discovered her joy of drawing. At sixteen, while still following her love of ballet, she rounded out her classical education and enrolled in a school of music. These lasting childhood memories are a huge source of inspiration for her as she develops her artistic side. From that moment on she belonged solely to the world of art.
Upon arriving on Toronto in 1979, Kupesic chose to pursue her career in painting. In 1983 and 1985 she had two exhibitions for the Kasper Gallery in Toronto. Her works in these exhibitions were based on city themes and her childhood. Afterwards, she exhibited at the Jaro Art Gallery in New York City, reputed for its naïve art fare. At the same time she was represented at the Beckett Gallery in Hamilton and the Midtown Gallery in Toronto.
Kupesic paints scenes inspired by her musical past, using it to animate her characters. She has a preference for pastoral scenes that celebrate the bounty of nature. During the 80's she was commissioned to do numerous portraits. One was of Pierre Elliot Trudeau and his sons, another of Wayne Gretzky, and another of Pianist John Arpin, an avid collector of her works. Kupesic's pictorial paintings are usually part of a narrative suite. Each painting is unique and yet part of a whole story. Much of her work belongs to what has been dubbed " the narrative discourse". Included in her many accomplishments, in 1989 - 1993, she illustrated Louis Hemon's book Maria Chapdelaine and in contributed to the publishing of the story Claire's Gift in 1999.
Kupesic's interpretation of Hemon's novel brought new life to the story. During her years of research of Maria Chapdelaine, Kupesic experienced a deep change, a sort of artistic metamorphosis. Since that time her technique and mastery of colour and form has changed and soared.
Northland Art Company is pleased to offer, for the first time, signed limited edition prints of this highly regarded artist.
