Mara Frota

My name is Mara Frota. I was born in 2003, in Portugal. I attended International Schools since I was 2 and a half years old, becoming fluent in english very quickly. I did the Middle years Program and the Diploma program of the IB (International Baccalaureate) at Oeiras International School.

This is where I had the opportunity of doing many volunteer work as part of the Service as Action program, and developing my interests in areas of Science (in particular psychology), and the Arts. I participated in all the school theatre productions, as well as doing theatre and dance outside of school with the Cascais Dance Academy, Artmove, and ACT Escola de Actores. Also in the performative arts, I did and still do gymnastics, artistic rollerskating, singing, and playing musical instruments (piano, guitar, bass, drums, ukulele).

When it comes to Visual Arts I completed the DP visual arts program and participated in the exhibition at the end of year 13, and then went on to study Visual Arts at Universidade Lusófona where I have already participated in exhibitions (Philoxénia and Over&Out) as well as other activities and events such as helping to paint the ClimAID Mural at the University, participating in the EPIC-WE Óbidos Cultural Game Jam, and exhibited a project at the Azenha da Ponte do Ameal as part of one of the classes. Outside of University I have also explored visual arts, volunteering at a local Art School (Oficina do Desenho Cascais), participating in a Street Art Event at Nirvana Studios in Oeiras and also exhibiting/selling my art at the Nirvana Studios Open Day. 

My personal projects and the themes in my artwork center around my childhood, a psychological exploration of those years and a reflection on memories, emotions and nostalgia, psychology playing a key role in my work as I look to explore the connection between psychology (science) and visual arts.