Maria is a textile / mixed media artist currently based in the South of Germany. She was born and raised in Russia and has been exposed to fine and performance art from a very early age. This early access has shaped her appreciation for craftsmanship and artistry. After moving to Germany with her family, Maria continued taking private drawing and painting lessons shaping and developing her technical skills and aesthetics. Due to her multi-passionate personality and many interests outside of arts, Maria pursued a career in Life Sciences, receiving her PhD in biochemistry from the Goethe University (Frankfurt) and established herself as a successful postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. In 2021, Maria launched her first textile art collection under the title “SEEKING CALM”. Maria’s signature style includes a monochromatic colour palette of soft beige and white hues. She works with layers of textiles draped into organic and fluid fold. The organic and fluid nature of the textiles is contrasted by a more structured grid of sewn silk threads. Her art encourages the viewer to take time to explore the delicate and intricate details of her pieces. Materials used in Maria’s work include handmade paper, and a variety of light and heavyweight natural textiles, e.g., linen, flax, cotton, and silk threads. Maria draws her inspiration from nature, Japanese ceramics, and French Haute Couture and is very passionate about creating spaces that support us in the way we want to live. On her blog, Maria explores different philosophies and concepts of creating warm, natural and simple living spaces that allow us to focus on self-exploration, self-indulgence and personal growth.

Maria believes that the things we surround ourselves with highly influence the way we feel in these spaces. They influence our mood, confidence, and well-being. If we can add a natural tranquillity and beauty to the spaces and interiors we spend time in, we can bring lightness and ease to our minds too in an otherwise fast-paced everyday life. Bringing a calm and tranquil breathing moment to your everyday life is the core of Maria’s creative vision. With her art, Maria holds space for everyone, who needs a moment for self-exploration, self-indulgence and personal growth – a place to get grounded and focused on what really matters, to practice gratitude and slow down. Her carefully crafted textile sculptures are an elegant way to add timeless beauty and lightness and create a warm, accepting, and positive space, where you can be whatever you wish to be. Maria’s current “Seeking Calm Collection” was particularly inspired by her experiences after becoming a mother. Her longing to create a respite and calming space for self-exploration and personal growth has become a driving force for her artistic creations. Amid the emotional blurrings of motherhood, her creative work has become an essential means of connecting to her sense of self. Maria is a minimalist in thought, technique, composition and materials. She has devoted her art practice to one main theme. Her signature style is a monochromatic colour palette of soft beige and white hues. Her media is handmade paper, and a variety of light and heavyweight natural textiles, e.g., linen, flax, cotton, and silk threads. Her compositions evoke an effortless calm and tranquillity through their reduced composition, organic nature and monochromaticity. Maria works with layers of textiles draped into organic and fluid folds and is contrasted by a more structured grid of sewn silk threads. Her art pieces encourage the viewer to take time to explore the delicate and intricate details of her pieces. Maria draws her inspiration from her surroundings including nature, travel, and her passion for Haute Couture to create balance and calmness from quieter and more delicate elements. Maria explains, “My art is an extension of my view on life, my experiences, and my desires. I like to observe nature and everything around me. I value community and craftsmanship as a way of living. These things are all inspiring to me and remind me of the fact that I am a perpetual student in my urge for creating silent retreats for us to go to whenever we seek calm.” In her work, Maria is always committed to sustainability including the materials. Every single detail in her art pieces is carefully considered and selected to create a lasting and beautiful experience.

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