ARTIST SPECIALIST IN PORTRAITS

Mario Merino was born in Málaga in 1974. Nowadays he lives and works in Fuengirola.  

These are some outstanding facts about his career as an artist:

• 1977.  The artist's family opens an art gallery in Fuengirola.

• Being sixteen years old, Mario Merino sells his first portrait. He dedicates himself professionally to pastel portrait painting until 1999. During this period of time, he paints hundreds of portraits. He works in Málaga and Gran Canaria (Canary Islands). 

• 2001.  Fine Arts Graduate at Granada University. Visual Arts especalist.

• 2002.  Teaching Skills Certificate at Malaga University.

• From 2001 to 2003 he works as an arts teacher at Vinci workshop/school, in Fuengirola.

• From 2003 to 2006 he works as an arts teacher at the painting workshop of Fuengirola Culture Centre.

• He spends 2006 and 2007 developing open air painting techniques. He takes part in several competitions of open air painting and he gets the following prizes:

  • Prize "Mariano Bertuchi" at Certamen de Pintura al Aire Libre Ciudad de San Roque (Cádiz).

  • Third prize at Certamen de Pintura Rápida al Aire Libre Ayuntamiento de Ardales (Málaga).

  • Prize "Construcciones Sixto" at VI Certamen de Pintura Rápida al Aire Libre Villa de Rota (Cádiz).

  • Third prize at  5th Concurso de Pintura al Aire Libre Ayuntamieno de Fuengirola (Málaga).

  • Ninth prize at V Certamen de Pintura Rápida al Aire Libre Expoberja. Berja (Almería).

  • Thirteenth prize at VI Certamen de Pintura al Aire Libre "José Mª Martín Carpena". Málaga.

Nowadays, Mario Merino has resumed his activity as portrait artist, using oil, acrylic and combination techniques.