Maria Catalan

I was born in Spain and raised between the US and Spain during my childhood, eventually settling in New York City for a few decades until my return to 'Europe" in 2019 to live in London.



I feel my mixed identity defines my art. Urban, American, and Spanish with a keen interest in past artistic expressions.



In 2017, I was introduced to painting with egg tempera by Doug Safranek, renowned tempera artist and professor at the New York Arts Students League, and I have worked exclusively in this medium since then.








I enjoy the meticulous brushstroke and layered technique of egg tempera which creates a semi-opaque luminosity with a transparency and depth of color particularly beautiful and unique to this medium. Although it is a slow and laborious process, tempera painting is also versatile, flexible (quick drying), portable and sustainable (water, egg yolk and pigment) and it allows me to "paint" with a "drawing" like quality.

Inspired by the still life paintings of the Spanish "bodegones" of the 16th century, I aim to capture the beauty of natural forms and ordinary objects we live with -- or eat!. Realistic yet surreal, they can be symbolic, soulful or at times humorous images of intimate moments o...

Drawing
Studied with Don Amadeo Gisbert Roca, Madrid, Spain 1985

Works in Tempura
Studied with Doug Safranek, New York Arts Student League, New York City October 2017 - present

Other Education
Art assistant at The Asia Society, The Bronx Museum of the Arts and various art galleries in New York City

New York University, BA Fine Arts and History

New York Law School JD Law

Group Exhibitions
Tempera Group Exhibition, New York Arts Student League 2017

Tempera Group Exhibition, New York Arts Student League 2018, special merit award for artwork “Pumpkins”