We had the good fortune of connecting with Mariana Kramer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mariana, why did you pursue a creative career?
I grew up with an artist mother and our home was always filled with prints of paintings by famous artists on the wall, art books on the shelves and the coffee table; and paper, paint and clay in the workshop. I was encouraged from the age of three to paint and make things.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve had a series of creative endeavors in my life. There have always been many things I’ve wanted to do and I’ve managed to do them all! For quite a few years I worked as a professional flutist, and then started and ran a successful catering business called Allegro Caterers. In the nineties I owned and operated a landscape company, Dos Rosas Landscaping, and honed my knowledge of Spanish with my Mexican and Guatemalan employees. My husband and I took an adventurous leap and moved to Mexico for ten years and while there I got back into art. When we returned to Atlanta to be near our son and daughter, I began painting and doing collage seriously. Last year I discovered a way to surround myself with art and Spanish, and I’ve been leading tours of art museums and archaeological sites in Mexico City. I consider everything I’ve done as art, whether playing chamber music, creating beautiful food for parties, taking care of gardens or showing people the amazing art of Mexico. And of course painting and making collage. I love to paint pet portraits in oil and watercolor. I’ll have to say nothing I’ve done has been easy, but I love a good challenge and I love to learn new things. I really enjoy learning a lot about a subject or skill and then putting my knowledge into practice. I’m very project oriented and my mind really gets going when I’m making something work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I could begin by taking her to the High Museum to see a current exhibit and then to lunch in one of the good restaurants in Colony Square. We could go to a concert by the Atlanta Symphony with the new wonderful conductor, Nahtalie Stutzman, and then dinner on Highland Avenue – maybe Truva or Ela for Turkish or Middle Eastern Food. We could spend some time at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and walk around Piedmont Park. We could go to the Decatur Book Festival and eat fine Mexican food at Casa Balaam. We could go to Stone Mountain park, eat dinner at Cherokee Rose and come back to Atlanta to hear some jazz. We could go to an exhibit at the Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University and to a show at the Fox Theater. If it’s the last day we could have lunch at Kafenio in Avondale Estates and see an exhibit at the Avondale Arts Center, eat at Chai Pani for Indian food in Decatur and to my house for a chocolate dessert and an after dinner drink with my husband and play with our little dog!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband. We’ve been married a very long time and he has always supported me in every way – sometimes financially, especially in the early years; and always with encouragement and faith in what I do. He’s always been my best audience and friend!

Website: https://www.marianakramer.com

Instagram: @mariana_kramer_art_works

Linkedin: Mariana Kramer Art Works

Facebook: Mariana Kramer Art Works

Image Credits
Mariana Kramer

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