Though he was born in 1960 in California, Marko Mavrovich's Croatian parents relocated the family back to their native country when he was 10 years old. The beauty of the sea and the coastline inspired Mavrovich to begin sketching along with the support of his father, a watercolor artist, who encouraged his artistic explorations. Despite his parents' encouragements, Mavrovich chose to enroll in a school for navigators rather than attend an art school. However, he never completely lost his passion for artwork.

It was later after moving back to the United States that Mavrovich was able to reconcile his two passions of art and the sea. He spent a few years as a commercial diver and explained, "Being underwater in absolute silence helped me clear my thinking. I finally realized I should be doing something better with my life." It was at that point he began to create the works that would soon be discovered by established galleries and provide him with invaluable exposure.

Mavrovich's artwork is clearly inspired by his exposure to the sea and the islands on which he was raised. Though a self-taught artist, Mavrovich admits he was greatly inspired by Winslow Homer and the California Impressionists. His preference in capturing what he describes as, "golden light" is to use acrylic paints as the base and oils as a top layer. Whether the changing seasons, a ride on the subway, or in his backyard under the sun, Mavrovich is always fascinated by the play of light.

Says Mavrovich, "I want the audience to experience from viewing, the same joy that I do when I paint and create the perfect moment. I really want them to feel that moment I captured on canvas. I am at my happiest when I have accomplished the perfection of making myself and the viewer happy."

Park West Gallery of Michigan founded in 1969 are America's largest art dealer, selling more individual artworks than any other art dealer in the United States. Since 1980, the company has occupied its own 63,000 sq ft art gallery and in 2002, Park West built a 181,000 sq ft distribution center and gallery in Miami Lakes, Florida. Park West Gallery conducts auctions across North America in fine hotels and maintains an active catalog and internet sales business. Park West Gallery is also the largest art dealer conducting auctions at sea and currently conducts auctions on more than 60 ships for the following cruise lines: Carnival Cruise Lines; Celebrity Cruises Inc.; Disney Cruise Line; Holland America Line; Radisson Seven Seas Cruises; Royal Caribbean International; Windstar Cruises.