Vita Merca Latvian artist born 1951. Her father was a conductor, her mother was fascinated with violin and entered Vita in the music world and later in fine arts. Vita has been interested in painting since thirteen years of age. "in the fairy tales by Karl Skalbe, in the poems ofFricis Bard. I also try to approach this subtle soul vibration," says Merca. She emphasizes that she feels free of pompousness and more when she is painting, painting as a means of expression, managing techniques and paying attention to the nuances and motifs, without excessive volume. "Conceptualism does not exist for me, I want more so that a person, by contacting the painting, reveals what I want to say. It is looking for my contemporaries, the souls of the soul," she says. The artist is painting very specific things, but the reflection of water in her is not only general, it connects the earth and the sky. "It's like serving beauty," says Merca about her relationship with painting. Education: Jahn Rozenthal Riga Art Academy(1963-1970) and the Department of Painting of the Latvian Academy of Arts (1970-1977), graduated in 1977. at Eduard Kalniņš, in 1983 graduated from the postgraduate studio of the Art Academy of the USSR Riga with Professor Eduard Kalniņa. Graduated from the Art Academy at the master's studio in Riga. Participated in exhibitions since 1976. Member of the Artists' Union of Latvia since 1980 and member of the association "B - 13" (1993 - 1998) from 1993. Has had personal exhibition in Jelgava (1991) and Riga (1993). Regularly participated in group exhibitions in Riga, Vilnius, Moscow, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Italy, France, Japan and elsewhere. Works are in the State Art Museum, the Latvian Artists' Union, the collections of the Latvian National Museum of Art, Riga and Talsi museum Ģederta Eliasa Jelgava History and Art Museum, Works in private collections in Latvia, Estonia, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, France, Russia, Canada, USA, Australia, Israel, Italy Popular painter of Latvian landscapes, still-lifes and flowers. Her paintings have harmonious and nuanced colour scheme and distinct plastic expression. Vita Merca has retained her characteristic painting style and is currently considered one of the leading masters of tone painting in Latvia.