Maria is a trainee art psychotherapist and painter with a background in fine art and illustration. After graduating with an Honours degree from Aberystwyth University in 2014, she worked as an art teacher and artist-in-residence across international schools in Vietnam and Malaysia. Upon returning to the UK, Maria pursued and developed her interest in the psychological benefits of creativity and its role in mental wellbeing. Now, in her final year of the MA Art Psychotherapy programme at the University of South Wales, she is an advocate for the therapeutic use of the arts, and experienced in their application within mental health services.

 

In her formative years, Maria was primarily focused on figurative art and portraiture. However, over time, her practice has shifted towards a more conceptual approach, emphasizing emotional expression and narrative, over realism. Working across traditional and digital mediums, Maria’s current art practice explores themes of connection, loss, isolation, and grief, through limited colour palettes and striking compositions.

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With a deep interest in the power and expressive capabilities of music as well as visual art, Maria often works cross-modally drawing inspiration from music, and collaborating with local musicians. Maria has recently completed a frame by frame animated film with composer James Morris which tells a short tale of grief. 

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