Marina Forbes is a native of St. Petersburg, Russia. For more than 20 years, she has been an active artist, historian, storyteller, lecturer and teacher in the area of Russian art, culture, language and folklore, offering more than 75 workshops, courses, and presentations each year both in Russia and throughout the New England area.

Marina is an accomplished painter of traditional Russian icons (egg tempera/gold leaf on wood), traditional Russian Matryoshkas (nested dolls), and numerous traditional Russian craft items. Many of her works are in private collections in Russia, Italy and the United States. Marina is currently the Director of International Programs at the New England Language Center in Rochester where she coordinates cultural exchange programs, teaches Russian culture and language, and leads art-related tours to Russia each year. She is an active watercolorist and art teacher and regularly does dramatic performances of Russian fairytales.

Marina has a distinctive ability to generate energy and enthusiasm in the classroom and to bring the rich fabric of traditional Russian art and folklore to life for children of all ages. She is a unique and valuable resource for schools wishing to introduce their students to Russian culture and arts through memorable and thought-provoking workshops and presentations.

Also offered: lectures, demonstrations, master classes. Offerings for hospitals, community health centers, nursing homes and assisted living facilities include illustrated storytelling and feature step-by-step hands-on workshops on the painting of Matryoshka Russian nested dolls, Faberge-inspired wooden eggs, Firebirds, Baba Yaga, Russian icons, and florals and nature scenes using traditional Russian honey-based watercolors. She also conduct workshops for people suffering from such conditions as cancer, HIV, and Alzheimer's disease.