“My work has always been about conveying a feeling – much like capturing a moment in time. How does one describe a feeling? That is unique for every person on this Earth. For me, it is the abstract use of color – at times a subdued palette, at others a vibrant kaleidoscope. Feelings are much deeper for me than simply conveying ‘happy, sad, angry.’ They are elevated. Stasis. Nostalgia. Pathos. Genesis. Agape. Eros. These are all instances we experience at different points in our lives using the particular lens of our worldview. I don’t put too much thought into what I want to necessarily convey when starting a piece, but only try to harness the feeling coursing through me. My work is simply a snapshot of my psyche in a fleeting moment of time, a reaction to life, pure and simple.”

Vivian Haritos was born to immigrant parents and raised on the north side of Chicago. As a 1st generation Greek American, she has perpetually felt in-between two worlds – a recurring theme in her work. She graduated from UIC’s College of Architecture and the Arts with a BA in Art History and a minor in Classical Civilizations. She received her graduate certificate in Museum Studies from Northwestern University. Vivian currently resides in Irving Park, where she creates art out of her home studio.