There is a great interest in antique paintings and portraits today even if the art owner doesn't know the people,'' said Mrs. Markovic, who is also a portrait artist and paints on glass. Her own paintings are visible in a small corner of her compact studio where there are damaged paintings, small sculptures, and ornate mirror frames undergoing different phases of renovation. Originally from Venezuela, Saida Markovic attended the Cristoval Rojas School of Fine Arts, where European masters of fine art trained her. After immigrating to the United States, she studied with David White at the Boston School of Fine Art. She is currently a member of the arts council in Wilton.
People buy art for two reasons, investment and because it's beautiful to put in the home.
When art is brought to me for restoration, I study it carefully, establish the damage, and sometimes can tell how long it will take and what it will cost, and I try to complete the restoration within a certain frame of time. During the process, I become a friend with clients and it's gratifying to see antique paintings change from damaged condition to life again. Many people are buying antiques at auctions and asking me to restore them, and I try to keep the prices reasonable,'' said Saida Markovic, whose favorite artist is a fellow countryman, Armando Reveron. As a child, I wanted to become an artist. When I was seven years old, my sister gave me a set of oil paints, and I would wake up at night and start painting.