Artwork in the room
Gražina Vitartaitė, a distinguished Lithuanian artist, grounds her creative practice in spontaneity and pure emotion. “When I paint, I simply feel—it’s not a conscious process. I don’t overthink what should be combined, as the colors and tones emerge naturally. When inspiration strikes and I find focus, I am not searching for particular motifs; instead, I am captivated by the idea and the allure of the present moment. I attempt to seize that feeling. In both art and life, there can be no standstill,” the artist shares about her work. Through this intuitive method, she is able to authentically and immediately capture the world around her.
Vitartaitė is most acclaimed for her landscape paintings, which reflect the gentle, tranquil beauty characteristic of the Lithuanian countryside. Frequently, the coastline and her hometown of Krekenava serve as her principal sources of inspiration—settings that evoke feelings of liberation and escape. Her paintings are marked by expressive brushwork and a profound emotional connection to the landscapes she portrays, channeling nature’s poetry and serenity. She upholds the value of harmony between humanity and the natural world, inviting viewers to a visual meditation and encouraging them to cultivate their own personal engagement with nature through her art.
Between 1980 and 1989, Gražina Vitartaitė led the Department of Painting at the State Art Institute, which is today the Academy of Fine Arts, where she held the position of associate professor. She has presented upwards of 70 solo exhibitions both within Lithuania and abroad. Her artworks are part of significant Lithuanian museum collections, including the Lithuanian Art Museum (LDM) and the National M. K. Čiurlionis Art Museum (NČDM), and can also be found in numerous public institutions and private collections across Lithuania, the United States, and various European countries. Vitartaitė has also released several painting albums, such as "Towards Inner Freedom" (2007), "The Curonian Spit" (2010), "Landscape Metamorphosis" (2015), and a dedicated volume on Krekenava Regional Park.
The artist’s journey and creative achievements have been explored in the documentary film "Towards Inner Freedom" (2013), directed by A. Tarvydas, as well as in the television feature "Portraits of Artists" (2017), produced by LRT and directed by V. Beconienė. These projects offer a deeper understanding of Vitartaitė’s artistic philosophy and her enduring influence on Lithuanian visual art.
About this artwork+
The painting depicts a serene riverscape, featuring a tranquil river that reflects the sky, rimmed by subtle ripples and highlights that suggest a gentle flow. In the middle of the river is an island, lush with dense, textured foliage in shades of green interspersed with patches of pinkish and violet flowers, giving the scene a vibrant yet soothing palette. Trees with delicate, slightly blurred canopies suggest a breeze, leading the viewer's eye across the water toward rolling meadows on the distant shorelines, blending subtly into a soft, expansive sky. The sky above is a gradation of blues, with wisps of white clouds enhancing the sense of calm openness. The overall effect is a peaceful, idyllic landscape that invites contemplation and a deep appreciation for nature’s quiet beauty.




















