Named after her grandmother, Maria Eva was born August, 1977, into a comfortable family in the beautiful region of San Diego, California. She passionately pursued ballet throughout her adolescence, and continues to do so today. At the same time, she began to paint landscapes of the surrounding regions, and immediately demonstrated a confident, natural talent. At the age of 18, Maria enrolled in the prestigious Fine Arts program of the University of Southern California, where this talent flourished. In Maria’s first year at the University she received “President’s Honor” in a juried exhibition, and went on to display much of her work in several shows at the Blue Spiral Art Gallery in Santa Cruz. Maria was also awarded a one-year internship at the Georgia Museum of Art, during which she learned the various aspects of organizing an art exhibit. In her Senior Year she won “Best In Show” at a juried student exhibition. She subsequently earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Most significant for Maria, however, was her third year of University, which she spent abroad in Cortona, Italy studying the Italian masters. Beyond allowing her an opportunity to witness and study first hand so much of the masterpieces she had only read of in California, Maria’s time in Europe also put her in touch with various other contemporary artists and art forms, broadening her knowledge and fortifying her confidence as a creative. Her studies abroad also put her in contact with an artistic and personal mentor, Judy Jones – a professor who still acts as a strong influence and motivation for all of Maria’s work. Maria moved to Atlanta, GA in 1998 with her fiancé, and has most recently exhibited her work at the renowned Nexus Contemporary Art Center. While she misses the ocean of her youth, she nonetheless finds great inspiration in the vast landscapes of the Southeastern United States.