Niko Chocheli is one of the foremost artists to emerge from the Republic of Georgia. He began drawing at the age of 4. His formal art training is based on the classical European teaching traditions and culminated in the granting of a MFA from the Tbilisi Academy of Fine Arts.

 

Exhibiting his work froman early age, he has conducted more than 32 group exhibitions worldwide including France. Italy, Belgium, Germany, Japan, Greece, Russia, India, and Australia. He has held more than 30 solo exhibitions in the United States. Niko Chocheli is the rccipient of many diplomas, gold medals, and blue ribbons for first-prize awards in juried exhibitions. His work is often compared to such Old Masters as Michelangelo and Leonardo daVinci for the refined lines and powerful forms of his drawings. Niko's work is in the renowned collection of Lasalle University s Art Museum, where it is included among the work of such masters as Tintoretto, Rembrandt, and Picasso. Honored by his country for his valuable artistic and cultural achievements, he was awarded an Honorable Doctorate from rhe Academy of Science, Arts and Humanities of Georgia. And the title, Honorable Professor, by The Tbilisi State Academy of Fine Arts. Niko Chocheli is also the recipient of the world prestigious status of Alien of Extraordinary Abilities", which was granted by the U. S. Government prior to obraining citizenship.

 

Niko draws on the rich traditions of classrcal art as well as that of his own ancient country. Sakartvelo, known to the rest of the world as Georgia. His work is recognized for its rich palette and precise, detailed draftsmanship. His mastery of art forms ranges from zinc etching, pen and ink, penciland chalk, to tempra, Acrylic, warercolor, and oils. Each of these forms he deftly empoys to create a great body of work encormpassing fine art, illustration, and iconography. Niko Chocheli's art captures the eye with its vivid color and soul along with its depth of meaning. The great cultural traditions of East and West, Oriental Miniature, and Renaissance merge harmoniously in the art of Niko Chocheli.

 

Since the late 1990's Niko has illustrated seven published books with a unique style reminiscent of the brilliant colors and imagery of medieval illuminated manuscripts. Besides his interest in history and folk tales from around the world, he is most inspired by the deep spiritual beauty of ancientlconography, which he considers to be "art for eternity", He has become known as an iconographer, for many of his icons adorn the interiors of churches and private homes in the United States and abroad. Niko's recent work, completed in early 2012 depicitng The Stations of the Cross, portrayed icons for ihe Malvern Retreat House, exemplifies the finest draftmanship, complex compositions, and, jewel-Iike colors which are familiar in all of his works. His use of color reflects the intensity of ancient Georgian Cloisonee enamels and the luminosity of stained glass combined in a rich palette reminiscent of the Venetian Master, Titian. These works are singular due to the artist's painstaking reasearch of ancient Georgian and Byzantine iconogmphy which influenced his creaton of his unique style in accordance with the stylistic canons of Holy Tradition.

 

Niko is also an impassioned historian that frequently speaks about a variety of subjects including fine art, art history, Iconography, Orthodox Church History, the history of his homeland, and the Georgian Orthodox Church. He is a lover of literature, fairy and folk tales, poetry, and humorous anecdote of many countries. Many of these are incorporated into his art, illustrtions, teaching, and public speaking. He himself is also an accomplished poet. 

 

He currenty resides in Doylestown, Pennsylvania where he established the Chocheli School of Fine Art and where he creates his masterworks. Fluent in speaking, writing and translating English,Georgian, and Russian, he imparts his passion for art, literature, culture, and history  across a multi cultural divide. The Bucks County Chamber of Commerce in 2009 awarded Mr. Chocheli the Lifetime Achievement Award for his "signilicant impact on thc cultural and artistic life of the community."