SARASOTA, FL, January 22, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Olivia Marie Braida-Chiusano has been selected for inclusion in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.

A multi-award-winning artist, educator, and distinguished author, Ms. Braida's art career spans three decades. During this time, she has made significant contributions to botanical art, education, and its relevance to the natural world. Her profound expertise has placed her original botanical art in permanent collections, namely: in 2001, she completed twelve large-scale watercolor paintings ("The Paintings of Casa Guayacan") for the now-public collection of Theodore Kheel Punta Cana Ecological Foundation in the Dominican Republic. In 2004, the Hunt Institute for Botanical Documentation purchased her original watercolor, "Magnolia grandiflora, 'Little Gem' #2," for their permanent collection. In 2007, the Bishop Museum of Science and Nature acquired "Nelumbo 'Baby Doll' Dwarf White Lotus" for their permanent collection. In 2016, "Brazilian Bromeliad Dwellers" was commissioned and purchased by the Museum of Botany and The Arts at The Marie Selby Botanical Garden in Sarasota, Florida, for their permanent collection. Her art has sold both here in the USA and abroad to foreign buyers.

As founder of the Academy of Botanical Art in 1996, Ms. Braida wrote a classical curriculum, "Ten Steps - A Course in Botanical Art & Illustration." The curriculum is based on the techniques of the Four Canonical Painting Modes of the Renaissance, the Dutch Golden Period of laying glazes, and the watercolor techniques of Gerard van Spaendonck during the French Court Les Velins du Roi (The King's Vellums) period. Her teachings originally consisted of 29 Manuals and Course Paks covering four levels each of Drawing and Watercolor, plus courses on Pen and Ink, Plant Morphology, Orchids, Colored Pencil, Business of Art, Whimsy, and Creativity. Made convenient and accessible for home study, these books are available now combined into 17 compact manuals. Ms. Braida is also the designer of the Perplexi® drawing tool that helps artists learn perspective and the author of OMology Cards designed to develop artist creativity.

As a dedicated educator, she has been invited to teach her program in many schools in the United States. At special invitation, a Certificate program was developed for The Ringling College of Art and Design (2002 - 2011) and the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens (2004 - 2024), where a full program of study prepared students for various careers in the arts.

Before her career in botanical art, Ms. Braida was the president and co-owner of Master Messenger, a national same-day transportation company, alongside her husband from 1981 to 1993. During this period, she engaged in civic involvement with organizations such as Food Patch, Girl Scouts of America, and the American Red Cross and participated in lectures on Entrepreneurial Engagement at Iona College and Manhattanville College. Under her leadership and commitment to business and community, the company received six Business of the Year awards from the Westchester Chamber of Commerce Circle of Winners from 1986 to 1991. During her tenure, her successes were further acknowledged in 1989 with an Entrepreneurial Achievement Award by the Westchester Association of Women Business Owners (WAWBO). The Chiusanos sold their company in 1993.

Ms. Braida holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business, Art, and Writing from the State University of New York. She earned a Certificate in Botanical Art and Illustration from the New York Botanical Garden in 1995 and a Certificate in Writing for Children and Teenagers from the Institute for Children's Literature in 1996. Her studies at the New York Botanical Garden and with renowned artist and instructor Anne Marie Evans in the United States and England were pivotal in her transition into the field of botanical art and illustration.

Ms. Braida is a member of several industry-related organizations: The American Society of Botanical Artists, The Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, and The Florida Watercolor Society. She continues her commitment to civic engagement with the International Order ofB lue Knights's involvement with at-risk children and her participation as a board member, retreat coordinator, and desktop publisher for Ruhani Satsang USA.

Ms. Braida remains committed to enriching the lives of others through education, her writing, art, and poetry. She continues to explore new opportunities with her in-depth educational publications available on Amazon. Her strong faith has been a guiding principle throughout her journey, empowering her to forge her path and achieve remarkable success.

About Marquis Who's Who®:
Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. The suite of Marquis® publications can be viewed at the official Marquis Who's Who® website, www.marquiswhoswho.com.

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