I was born, Maria Vittoria Bargero (Vic), in Torino, Italy, in 1969. For as long as I can remember I have loved to paint and draw and one of my earliest memories is at the age of 10 winning a prize in a national contest for elementary catholic schools "Un presepe per Natale" (A nativity for Christmas).
In 1989, I graduated in Liceo Artistico Vittorio Veneto con anno integrativo sezione matematica, which means Artistic Lyceum in mathematics section. In the same year I became part of Soka Gakkai (an international organisation which promotes peace, culture and education through personal transformation and social contribution) of which I am still a member today. In Italy I belonged to the artist division of Turin with which I have been honoured to expose in 1994 for "Ali" on the occasion of the visit of our president Daisaku Ikeda in Italy, and later on in 1995 for "Cittadini del mondo, 1995 Anno internazionale della tolleranza" (Citizen of the world, 1995 International year to promote tolerance). I went to the Turin's University of Palazzo Nuovo to study Political Science, a decision based on both my ability to speak French, Spanish and English, and my love for the world around us.
In 1999 I moved to The Netherlands were I completed a qualification in the Dutch language, living there for 4 years. I continued to paint and I did some auctions in Paris, with the company Cofiproind in 2002 and 2003 before leaving the country. In September 2004 I left the Netherlands to go and work as a volunteer worker in Norbulingka Institue in Dharamsala, India. There I worked within the Tibetan community in kindergarten developing a series of toys, adopting the Montessori System. I lived there for 8 months and during this time I had a beautiful taste of thangka paintings (traditional Tibetan paintings), henna paintings, traditional Indian head massage and His Holiness the 17th Karmapa honoured me with a new name: "KARMA CHODON" (Karma means Star and Chodon means butter lamp, the kind that is used as an offering at a temple). I now use this as my artistic name.
In June 2004, I came back to live in UK with my now husband. We lived in UK until 2009, during which time our family grew with the addition of two children. During this time, I also completed the training to become a Shiatsu practitioner (Japanese acupressure based on chinese medicine) and also studied some Reiki. This meant little or no time for my art during this period. However, as soon as we moved to Busan (South Korea) I began to paint again. I began by making portraits of both my children and this got everything moving for me again. People who came to my house started to ask me to make a portrait for them as well, and since then the creativity flew again in my soul where it always has been. In April 2010, I offered one of my paintings at the BIWA (Busan International Women Assosiation) Charity Spring Ball, in the Grand Hotel in Busan, and on the 15th of June 2011 for three weeks I was able to hold my first exhibition in collaboration with the polish architect and traditional Korean watercolour painter, Magdalena Kwaitkowska. The name of our exhibition was “Korean inspirations”. We both did a course of traditional Korean painting with Kim Hong -Do Ttla-La-Ha-Gi, held at Busan Museum of Modern art. So the connection between us was not only the love of painting, but mainly the use of watercolours and the inspirations that can come from it. Following the exhibition, we held a workshop called "Shadow perspectives" which was attended, by artists such as Susana Graciela Silvani, contributing to make a marvellous day of painting, and the stimulation of the creativity within us.
In June 2013 I moved in Budapest (Hungary) with all the family, where I continue to paint.
In June 2013 I moved in Budapest (Hungary) with all the family, where I continue to paint.
I call my artwork “SOUL ON CANVAS” because this is what it means to me. Everything I am able to create, either through painting or with different materials in different ways is a piece of my soul, my story, the vibration of life, of mother nature, of love, of my children, as a soul always in movement, curious about people and the world around us.....And like in life...... everything has his place......nothing is left by chance.
Expositions
1994 ALI (Wings) For the visit of Daisaku Ikeda - Soka Gakkai International Torino Italia Artist Division
1995 CITTADINI DEL MONDO (Citizens of the world) International Year for the tolerance-Soka Gakkai International -Torino, Italia Artist Division
2002 CHEMIN, solo exhibition for COFIPROIND, Paris, France
2002 US International group exhibition for EMERO Amsterdam, The Netherlands
2003 AUCTION for COFIPROIND, charity for children, Paris, France
2010 AUCTION for BIWA (Busan International Women Association) Charity Spring Ball, Busan, South Korea
2011 KOREAN INSPIRATIONS, joint exhibition with the architect Magda Kwiatkoska, Painted Chair Gallery, Busan, South Korea
2012 SENSI IN SOLO, solo exhibition, Painted Chair Gallery, Busan, South Korea
http://www.busanhaps.com/article/interview-italian-artist-karma-chodon
http://www.busanhaps.com/article/interview-italian-artist-karma-chodon
2014 Sante Chapelle- Group Exhibition for Gesto Segno Disegno- Federico Cocuzzoli- Laboratorio Urbano THE FACTORY- Pagliano (Taranto)- Italia
2014 ArtExpo Budapest http://www.art-expo.eu
2014 ArtExpo Budapest http://www.art-expo.eu
Education
Liceo Artistico Vittorio Veneto- ( Art College) Torino Italia
Political Sciences Palazzo Nuovo University Torino, Italia
Tangka Painting (traditional tibetan painting) Norbulingka Institute, Dharamsala, India
KimHong DODDaRaGabGi (traditional Korean watercolor painting) Museum of modern Art - Busan, South Korea
Hanji Art (traditional Korean art crafts) Korean Traditional Arts and Crafts Association, Yeasarang Art Culture Center, Busan South Korean
Computer Literacy:
Photoshop, GIMP, Excel, Outlook, Word
Social Media
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karmachodon/
Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=99509556&trk=spm_pic
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KarmaChodon1
