INSPIRATION: 

“Art is my most meaningful contribution to the world. Art allows me to EXPRESS the emotional depth and profound universal experiences that connect us all. —- IT ALWAYS BEGINS AND ENDS WITH LOVE.”

-Afrodita Deretic

About the Artist: 

I AM A BOSNIAN-BORN ARTIST CURRENTLY LIVING AND WORKING IN SAN DIEGO, CA.

AS AN ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONIST, I USE COLOR, MIXED MEDIA MATERIALS, LAYERS, SHAPES & TEXTURE ON CANVAS OR WOOD.

MY PASSION FOR ARTISTIC EXPRESSION DEVELOPED IN ADOLESCENCE IN A REFUGEE CAMP. IN GREAT SUFFERING, I STARTED TO FEEL A DEEP NEED TO EXPLORE MY DEEPEST EMOTIONS AND FIND SAFETY INSIDE OF MYSELF, BEYOND THE SURFACE OF MY WAR-TORN COUNTRY.

MY ART IS A VISUAL COMPOSITION OF THE UNIVERSAL JOURNEY TOWARD OUR MOST AUTHENTIC SELF.

A SURVIVOR OF A CIVIL WAR AND A REFUGEE, I AM DEPLY PASSIONATE ABOUT SOCIAL IMPACT AND WHOLEHEARTED LIVING. FOR THIS REASON I ROUTINELY DONATE MY TIME AND ART TO VARIOUS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

FOR MANY YEARS, I RAN AN ART THERAPY PROGRAM FOR ORPHANED AND ABANDONED CHILDREN IN MEXICO.

IN 2017, I PARTICIPATED IN THE ART EXPRESSION PROGRAM FOR TEDx. THIS WAS FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND TEDx HOSTED AT CALIFORNIA STATE PRISON, WHERE I TAUGHT ABSTRACT ART.

IN RECENT YEARS, MY FOCUS HAS BEEN ON ART-CENTERED FUNDRAISING EVENTS TO SUPPORT EMERGING ARTISTS AS WELL AS UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES.

MY ART CAN BE PURCHASED VIA THIS WEBSITE USING THE CONTACT BUTTON BELOW, ON INSTAGRAM, OR AT ONE OF MY UPCOMING ART SHOWS OR A REPRESENTING ART GALLERY.

I WELCOME COLLABORATIONS AND LOVE TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS.