Croatian Naive artist shares technique

By Caroline Rosacker

The small village of Hlebine, situated in the northern part of Croatia, is often referred to as the cradle of Naive Art. The distinctive style of painting is one of the most unique attractions Croatia has to offer. The artist community is home to the Hlebine School of Naive Art and Hlebine Naive Art Gallery. 

Croatian naive painting is most often painted on a clear piece of glass. The specialized technique is unique to the region, and is referenced as reverse painting-oil on glass. The finished piece has a certain added dimensional depth because of the multiple layers of applied paint viewed through the thickness of glass, resulting in extremely bright, vivid colors.

Croatian Naive Art found its beginnings in the early 1930s, when established artist Krsto Hegedušić, who spent summers in Hlebine painting the surrounding landscapes of his ancestral village, discovered 16-year-old Ivan Generalic (1914-1992) and Fanjo Mraz (1910 - 1981). Hegedušić recognized the young artists and helped cultivate their raw talents. Both artists went on to enjoy rewarding artistic careers while promoting the new, distinctive art form.  

Marsha Palmer

Marsha Palmer, Croatian Naive artist of Guttenberg, spent extended periods of time living and studying in Hlebine, under the direction of Mr. Branko Matina. 

Mr. Matina is a recognized master of the Hlebine School and a descendant of its founder, Ivan Generalic. He has a history of successful exhibitions throughout Europe, and his paintings have been sold to collectors in many parts of the world including the United States. "It was one of the best times of my life. People were so nice to me despite the language barrier," said the talented artist. "When I found out I was going to be living in Croatia I became curious, and purchased a book about the region. As soon as I read about Naive Art I knew I had to try it." 

Palmer and her husband sought out her mentor. "We called around to some of the artists that lived in the community. The first gentleman we contacted didn't have time to teach me. He was too busy in his vineyard. The second artist had a family to raise and needed the money, so he took me under his wing. I lived in a small apartment above the barn and became part of his family." Palmer explained, "Hlebine is comprised of hardworking, small-scale farmers. Very few people have money. They tend to their fields, livestock and grapes in the summer, and paint primarily in the winter. Art is everywhere! In front of people's homes, in the newspaper, on buildings, it's incredible!" 

Palmer shared many fond memories of her time spent with the Matina family. "Communication was difficult. I had three different dictionaries to help me learn words and phrases. They were so patient. They took me in as part of their family. Mrs. Matina was an excellent cook. The food she prepared was amazing!" she said. "It was a pretty big deal to have an American living with them. The newspaper came out and interviewed them, bringing the family notoriety." 

Painting in reverse

Painting on glass in reverse requires patience and thought. It is a very labor-intensive art form. Brush strokes are applied in reverse. "The painting is done on the back of a piece of clear glass. The foreground and details are painted first. The artist's signature is applied at that time written in reverse, so it will appear correctly when the final painting is viewed from the opposite side," she explained. "I use oil paint thinned down with linseed oil. It has to be a precise combination so the paint works well on the glass. I apply it with a very soft bristle brush and use a lot of liners. Each layer has to completely dry before the next layer of paint can be applied. Because of the dry time, most reverse glass artists work on more than one painting at a time. The artist has to be careful to paint in the correct direction so their hand doesn't smear the paint."

Palmer remains the only "outsider" to have lived and studied with these prestigious Croatian masters relating to the Hlebine school. Her paintings have sold in Europe and America, and have been viewed by numerous foreign diplomats during visits to the Hlebine artist colony. She was awarded "Best in Show" at the Ike Parker Art Show in Clinton. The artist continues to paint in the Hlebine motif, but has begun to express herself using the same technique with American rural scenes.

Palmer concluded, "What I like about art – it didn't exist and now it does. If nothing else from my life gets passed on – I am leaving art."