This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Arts & Entertainment

Aberra Gets Comfortable in Her Artistic Skin

Marietta portraiture artist Mandie Aberra uses her talents to overcome personal insecurities.

Mandie Aberra’s short career as a full-time artist isn’t from lack of experience. Far from that. It’s because she is still young – 23 years old. Migrating from Colorado Springs, Colo., Aberra moved with her family to Georgia around the age of six. She describes her upbringing as one that encouraged artistic and creative development.

“My first memory of doing something creative was sitting on my dad’s lap as he taught me how to draw people sitting nearby,” Aberra says of a fond memory.

Her father, Devon Michaels, was an amateur sculptor but very talented nonetheless. Aberra says her father was perhaps the single greatest influence on her becoming a portraiture artist. Michaels gave his daughter the initial exposure into drawing people but continued to shape her development over the years purchasing supplies, enrolling her into art programs and supporting her dreams.

Find out what's happening in Mariettawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Aberra says her mother was the “idealist” of the family, always full of creative ideas. She recalls her mother’s excitement when her children’s books finally got published while Aberra was in the 6th grade.

“Seeing my mother’s success definitely helped me realize that it (creative arts) could be a career path for me,” Aberra admits of her parents influence in shaping her life decisions.

Find out what's happening in Mariettawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

However, things weren’t always so rosy for Aberra. She describes herself as an outsider, never really fitting into the mainstream of schools she attended. Students did not understand her creative aspirations or her family’s endorsement of her artistic choices.

“I was the odd duck,” Aberra adds, describing how she would make her own clothes often dressing in an “eclectic” fashion. But, somehow she managed to look beyond the taunting, stares and name calling to stay focused on her interests.

In high school Aberra found her calling as an artist. Jennifer O’Neil, an arts teacher at Adairsville High, took Aberra as far as she could go with her, but Aberra’s talents eventually exceeded that of her own. Aberra says O’Neil converted a utility closet into her own personal studio where Aberra took advanced arts classes by mentorship of established local artists, maintained and orchestrated by O’Neil.

One the greatest highlights to help Aberra feel comfortable in her own skin was when she was chosen for the Governor’s Honors program. She likens the experience akin to the latest X-Men installment First Class, with the thrill of meeting other people with extremely unique gifts for the first time.

“It was an experience out of this world! It was empowering because there were so many kids from different backgrounds, with talents in different genres, out there just like you – though few and far between,” she says with sigh of relief.

Aberra had gotten about as much as she could from her high school experience having excelled to Art 8, the highest art class available at her school, and winning every art contest she entered.

There was only one thing left to do – hold an exhibit. Organized by O’Neil and sponsored by the school, the first exhibit for Aberra was held in a newly built theater at the school. She had amassed a portfolio of 25 to 30 paintings and drawings for which she was excited to have on display for the first time to a viewing public.

Conventional wisdom says Aberra’s next steps would involve a big name arts college for the next chapter of her life. True to form, Aberra received a scholarship to the Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD) in Savannah. But something didn’t resonate in her gut about the opportunity, so Aberra elected to turn down the scholarship in pursuit of a more “real world” experience.

“I didn’t want to become one of those cookie-cutter artists,” she says. “I knew the direction I wanted to take, and my family supported it.”

Instead of enrolling as a full-time student, Aberra took art classes at Kennesaw State University’s Continuing Education program. Again, she stuck out like a sore thumb in her classes at the tender age of 17 among a class of “elderly” people, Aberra said jokingly.

Her instructor, Earnest Varner, an accomplished portraiture artist with the Portrait Society of Atlanta, took interest in Aberra’s talents straightaway. Varner is responsible for further cultivating her talents arranging personal workshops with other established artists Bart Lindstrom and Jon Houthen.

Today Aberra maintains a studio at The Studio at Marietta Square with owner Jenny King and studio-mate Philip Myrick. She realizes success in word-of-mouth referrals, street traffic and teaching classes. She receives regularly commissioned work, for which she is thankful in the face of an enduring recession.

“Eventually I hope to be able to capture people’s memorable moments, for commissioned works only,” she says in conclusion.

Mandie Aberra’s paintings can be viewed, or she can be contacted, at: The Studio 48 South Park Square; phone: 770-265-8365; email: mandieaberra@gmail.com

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?