OVERWHELMED Painting

Born into the country life of rural Peru, nature has been her lifelong companion and inspiration. Maria Luisa feels an unspoken connection to the natural forms around her and has always looked upon them as the catalyst of her art. Also stemming from her childhood was her innate skill for design; Mari knew she wanted to be a graphic designer by the time she was 12 years old. Following the completion of her bachelor’s degree at Instituto Montemar, she emigrated to the United States for her master’s in graphic design at the Art Institute of Miami and went on to make her own successful company, formerly known as Giupa Creative Group. After almost 25 years as an accomplished graphic designer, she decided to follow her passion and become a full-time artist. She explains that when she paints, she feels completely free to express her true artistic identity, no longer confined by the perfection demanded by graphic design. Maria Luisa calls herself a “sculpture-istic” painter as her paintings tend to build up from the canvas as if they were in 3D. Mari loves to imitate the textures of small roots, treetops, blurred landscapes, and formations of rocky surfaces using unconventional materials. She explains that each painting is has its own identity, its own emotions. “I want to create tactile art that encourages people to run their fingers atop the canvas and feel these emotions for themselves.”