Artwork in the room
Birutė Bernotienė McCarthy, an artist from Lithuania, completed her studies in fashion costume at the Vilnius Academy of Arts. Her professional journey took a significant turn in 1983 when she became a member of the Lithuanian Artists’ Association. The acquisition of her pieces by the Lithuanian Arts Foundation signifies the recognition she has received from notable cultural organizations.
She has presented solo exhibitions in numerous cities, including Vilnius, Kaunas, Klaipėda, Riga, and Kaliningrad, as well as abroad in Sweden and the United States. Her tapestries are featured in public venues such as the Klaipėda National Library and are also found in hotels and private homes, reflecting her influence on both cultural institutions and everyday life.
At one stage in her career, Birutė Bernotienė McCarthy developed fashion collections crafted from silk and linen, with each piece being individually hand-painted. Later, her background in fashion design led her toward a new creative interest: making dolls, inspired by her experience as a mother of two daughters. Utilizing her skills in form, line, color, and style, she took part in national art doll exhibitions, viewing the process of doll-making as both an artistic pursuit and a personal source of happiness.
After concluding her tenure as a professor, she devoted herself entirely to painting, choosing to create only uplifting works that are meant to convey a sense of warmth and uniqueness to home environments. Through each phase of her artistic evolution, Birutė Bernotienė McCarthy continues to enhance the cultural landscape of both Lithuania and the international art world.
About this artwork+
The painting captures a vivid and contrast-rich scene of an early winter landscape. The foreground prominently displays a freshly snow-covered area, where the pure white of the snow blends into icy lilac shades and shadows, contrasted by stark, bare grasses poking through. A tranquil, reflective water body bisects the scene, mirroring the dramatic sky and the first touches of winter on the trees that stand beside it. On the left, a tree is heavily laden with snow, suggesting a recent heavy fall, its form soft and rounded by the weight of the snow, standing out against the warmer colored background. The background is a harmony of warm golden, amber, and rust hues, painted in dynamic, expressive strokes that suggest the movement of fluttering leaves or a gentle breeze through the trees. This warmth of color in the background creates a striking contrast with the cool and subdued tones of the snow and the sky, enhancing the sensation of a crisp, cold day. The overall effect is both inviting and slightly foreboding, embodying the dual nature of winter’s first snow—a beautiful yet potent reminder of the changing seasons.
