Marianna Rota is an artist, educator, and entrepreneur. In her native Argentina, she founded a company that marketed a range of cosmetics, including cosmetics for the niche male clientele. At the time, these products were largely unavailable to the general population outside of a wealthy few. Ms. Rota decided to make her mark on the cosmetics industry by creating an educational system around her work, which ultimately led to creating an entire line of makeup products geared towards the male demographic. Ms. Rota’s success has led to countless other educational programs being developed that promote a more inclusive vision for the overall makeup industry.
Marianna Rota was born in Argentina to parents who were both lawyers. Her family was originally from Chile and Spain but moved to the United States when Ms. Rota was young. She attributes her love of the legal system and her desire to continue a family that was scattered around the globe to her decision to pursue a career in the legal profession. Despite her passion for the legal profession, however, Marianna eventually earned a bachelor’s degree in education before becoming a teacher. Although this is one of the few career options that does not require a degree in English, it was not what she had in mind when she entered law school. Instead, she longed for a profession in the visual arts – specifically art that promoted women – and eventually found her calling in the world of fashion.
As a child, Marianna was often encouraged by her mother to draw. Today, that same passion continues to fuel her work as an illustrator and painter. As she enters her second decade of marriage to husband Jack, she hopes that the experiences she has had in her career will be able to help them develop a deeper commitment to each other. “I think that when people are happy in their marriage, they tend to be happier in general,” says Marianna. “That’s why I try to make my paintings and drawings a celebration of what I’m doing.”