Marita Contreras

The Director, About Herself...

"I was born in Lima, Perú, a country ravaged by terrorism and civil unrest. Despite its chaos, Perú is also a land of great natural and artistic beauty. My country's conflict between violence and aesthetics has served as the greatest influence on my work.

"After graduating from college in Perú, I immigrated to the United States to pursue a MS in Industrial Engineering at the University of Texas. My engineering career allowed me to escape the restrictions placed upon women in my homeland as a result of gender.

"Still, while working as an engineer, I continued to pursue my life-long interest in fine arts. After years of being torn between my daily professional career and my nightly classes, I finally decided to fully devote myself to the study of art.

"My journey took me to New York City where I obtained a MFA degree in Photography, Video and Related Media at the School of Visual Arts. I currently live and work in Florida exploring my vision through photography, video and installation.

"I teach Film classes (Experimental Film and Video, The Documentary, Elements of Film) at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL."