Today we’d like to introduce you to Maya Murano.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up drawing, painting, and playing outside a ton. Creativity was not lacking in our household, and my siblings and I were always creating structures, art, fairy houses, you name it, while playing inside and out. We camped a lot growing up and encouraged to explore nature, enjoy the small things, and be thankful for our many blessings.
As I grew older, I focused more on art as I entered High School and decided I wanted to go to college for painting. I studied Painting, Art History, and Art Education at Alfred University in New York State. I found my love of watercolors senior year and haven’t looked back since. I met my husband while in school, and his job brought us to Wilmington, NC, where I was teaching art at an after-school program for about 10 years.
I recently took my painting career full-time and have loved having the freedom and challenges that have come with being a full-time artist. I enjoy painting subject matters that I find interesting, which currently seems to be seafood, tablescapes, marine life, as well as the bounty of produce that land offers. You will find repetitive patterns a lot in my work, and it’s something I have found I truly enjoy painting. I love finding different ways to paint the same artichoke, sardine, or strawberry, and I think it speaks to how we are all similar as well as different.
The look of my work is not always the same color palette or the same subject matter, but finding beauty in differences and similarities of one species or one bowl of strawberries brings me great joy while I am painting.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Creative slumps are always where I struggle. I will have big bursts where I create and paint maybe 5-10 paintings but then will have long time periods where nothing feels right to paint. I have found that when I get in these slumps, doing other activities, getting out of my head, listening to different creatives helps. I also do a fair bit of woodworking and frame all of my own paintings, and well as some for other artists. So, getting myself out to the shop and making a perfectly square frame can be very therapeutic for me when I work in a field that is so subjective.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I paint watercolor paintings, some very large, of bright, colorful food-based art. I live by the coast of North Carolina, so seafood, oysters, crabs, and other marine life have found its way into many of my works. But I also am known for painting citrus, cocktails, and other edible delectables.
I am most proud of a recent show, Art Room, that participated in, in Greenville, South Carolina. It was my first show that I traveled for since being a full-time artist. Getting to go and meet all the other artists, the wonderful women that put on the show, and feeling like painting is truly my job, not just a hobby, was a thrilling and thoroughly rewarding feeling.
What sets me apart from others is my willingness to work with clients to paint whatever subject matter they are looking for, for their home, office, or properties. I custom-make my own panels and frames and seal my watercolors in a unique way to avoid heavy glass, which I find takes away from the painting. So, finding the perfect fit for whatever space you may be working with is achievable.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love Wilmington for many reasons. Getting to go to the beach, the downtown, and the restaurant scene in Wilmington is hard to beat for a small town. I would love to have more bike routes and sidewalks to get around the city, and I know they are working on those things, but can’t wait for them to be done!
Pricing:
- $50-$1500
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mayamurano.com
- Instagram: mayamuranostudio
- Facebook: Maya Murano Studio
