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 captures a serene riverscape, possibly in the early hours of the day or during a gentle dusk, with a soft yet vivid palette. It portrays the Nevėžis river flowing gracefully through the composition. The river, reflective and shimmering, carries tints of blue, white, and subtle greys, suggesting the presence of the sky's reflection on its surface. Surrounding the river are lush green banks, dotted with what seems to be wildflowers and various greenery, adding splashes of pink, yellow, and darker shades of green. These vibrant earth tones suggest a rich, lively riverbank. Above, the sky is a mix of light blues, soft pinks, and patches of white, indicating a clearing or gentle clouds spread across the horizon. This blend of colors suggests a peaceful time of day, where light and color softly interplay with each other. On the far left, there appears to be a suggestion of human habitation — possibly a distant house or structure nestled among the trees, integrating hints of red and brown, subtly indicating its presence without drawing attention away from the natural landscape. The overall impression is one of tranquility and the quiet beauty of a landscape, possibly untouched by the hustle and bustle of modern life. The brushwork is loose, imparting a sense of movement to the foliage and the flow of the river, enhancing the painting's dreamy, impressionistic quality.
