Márcia Britto (b.1962, Brazil) IN SEARCH OF DEEPER MEANING Marcia Britto was born in Brazil, where life is lived large... where emotions run free - like great, sweeping swathes of colour on a canvas. Like the intoxicating throb of the Samba beat ... the uninhibited revelry of Carnaval. But Marcia isn't like that. Her passions burn with a quiet, controlled, internalized intensity. You see, Marcia was just six years old when her father died. An event that, of course, left a void in her life. But the little girl learned to fill that void with the tender love for birds and animals and plants which she shared with her grandfather, escaping from starched city life on frequent visits to the sprawling countryside of the province of Minas Gerais. Marcia spent her childhood searching. When not seeking knowledge at school, she searched the forests and foothills, the wild places, for nature's treasures. She had an eye, even as a child, for objects that resonated with her spirit. Stones and bones, feathers, leaves, dried flowers and ferns were carried home and worked into boxed arrangements. Even seashells were wittily surmounted by miniature figures of sunbathers. Later in life, Marcia wrote, "I find forms, textures and colours, as a poet finds words". This love of form, texture and colour led Marcia to study Visual Communication at university in Brazil, launched her career in advertising, animation and design, and later earned her a Bachelor of Fine Art and Design degree in Sweden. She also became a keen photographer. But as times changed, the ever-increasing technical intrusion of computers proved too abrasive for Marcia's fine sensibilities. So she forsook the commercial field and immersed herself only in fine art. For that, we should be grateful . Marcia is often depicted holding a camera. That's because the camera symbolizes a way of seeing. You see, Marcia believes that our way of seeing, influences our way of being. Movingly, she once wrote, "My eyes look at you with expectation and curiosity". That reveals an almost childlike purity of spirit, a challenging trust, and an open, enquiring mind. "My eyes look at you with expectation and curiosity". Painterly poetry that leads to some thoughts about Marcia's two signature themes - Expressions. And Angels. Expressions It's been said that no work of art is complete without three essential components: 1) The artist's concept. 2) The work of art itself. 3) An audience. So it's thought-provoking to entertain the whimsical notion that when you view any of Marcia's Expressions, you are not just looking at the sculpture or picture; it is also looking at you. Yes... looking at you looking at it - and so on. Never- ending new views, each of which completes the magic circle. Two of Marcia's Expressions, sculpted in dark-grey stone, are not just very rare. They are unique. These two imposing works are the last of their kind that will ever be made. They are expressions of Marcia's determination to create sculptures in the hardest stone on earth - the renowned, highly prized Diabas... solidified lava from a Swedish volcano. It is virtually indestructable. In diametrically opposite vein are the works comprising Marcia's other signature theme... Angels The glowing glass sculptures and vibrant paintings, incorporating real gold, are not just enchantingly beautiful; they're also deep expressions of the artist's pure, spiritual vision. Touchingly, and memorably, Marcia says, "I have no offspring. But each of my Angels is like one of my children, who is going to live in somebody else's home - and protect them." New developmentsAs well as Marcia's internationally-celebrated Expressions and Angels, she has now embarked on bold developments, fresh subjects and new techniques that have sprung into being, inspired by Gozo, the tiny, tranquil island in the heart of the Mediterranean, to which she moved in 2011. Marcia Britto has never stopped searching. PETER SUTTON