Christina Marian
About the Artist
Originally from Romania, Cristina Marian moved to the United States in 2013. In Bozeman, Montana, she divides her time between working in the studio, exhibiting her artwork and pursuing a Master of Fine Arts degree at Montana State University, where she also teaches drawing and painting classes.
Artist Statement
The Break the Cat painting is part of my Stories Without Words collection (2004-2017). It was painted in 2016 and it is inspired by the Romanian expression “a rupe pisica (în două),” which means “to break the cat in half.” Why would someone “break” a beloved animal anyway?! This expression does not invite one to take such a dramatic action but is an invitation to bravery. To “break the cat” requires extraordinary motivation and courage. Finding oneself at a crossroads, needing to make a crucial decision or massive life change, one needs to be fearless and have strength of will and ambition. This saying illustrates this moment of transformation.