A graduate of Yale University School of Art and the Kansas City Art Institute, Maria also attended Chelsea College of Art & Design in London and the School of Visual Arts in New York City. At the invitation of Russell Ferguson, she returned to Kansas City in 2006 for a position at the Art Institute as a replacement for another professor going on sabbatical. This position allowed her to take a digital photo course in the Photo/New Media Department. As a member of the KCAI faculty, she was permitted to work with the large format printers, assisted by Photo/New Media staff. Artist Jim Sajovic admired her reference photos depicting still lifes and suggested they be the artwork, rather than painting from them.
Maria's love of the arts comes from her mother who is also an artist. She recalls making school book reports as a child allowed her to create interesting props with materials like papier mache and leftover house paint. Looking back, she says these show-and-tell creations were so consuming she would spend more time on the props rather than the book she was supposed to be reporting on.
In 2008, Maria showed a very large (32 inch by 16 foot) modular photo mural in the Thornhill Gallery at Avila University in Kansas City. Later on, she began using a smaller printer and with this made narrower and longer pieces.
The ability to shift to a digital format (from making paintings) has been an innovation in Maria’s studio practice. This readily accessible process has enabled her to travel easily with new work across the United States and Mexico. Maria is also looking to improve the business end of her studio. As an incoming participant to the Fall 2010 Artist INC workshop in Kansas City she hopes to learn about better database management and small business accounting from her peers and visiting arts professionals.
This past summer, Maria contacted the Museo Textil, where she was able to show work to the directors immediately on her arrival. It was they who suggested she show with Centro Fotográfico. An exhibition opportunity was offered, three friezes were hung in a suitably sized room, cards were printed and an opening reception was planned.
Her most recent show has Maria working with the Lyons Weir Gallery in New York City. She first contacted the gallery by phone after reading a story in the New York Times about the unique way in which they were marketing themselves to attract notice amongst other galleries in their Chelsea neighborhood. After this initial contact, she was invited to part of the exhibition Autumn (2010) Art Preview.
In the long term, having enthusiasm for leading edge technologies and marketing practices makes the case that an artist can adopt change and strategy without compromising the integrity of one’s work.
Maria is a Fall 2010 Artist INC Fellow.
Visit Maria Creyts's website.
Written by Blair Schulman, 2010