Maria Gordon

About the artist

From an early age, painting has been a constant thread in Maria Gordon’s life, intertwined with the solitude of her childhood. Spending much of her time alone fostered a vivid imagination and a deep affection for the introspective worlds that now inform her artistic vision.

Maria’s family were antique dealers, and she grew up surrounded by curious objects, peculiar toys, and forgotten relics. These fragments of the past quietly influenced her aesthetic. Furthermore, the early loss of several close family members left a profound mark, instilling a sensitivity towards themes of time, memory, and absence in her work. 

Maria’s art reflects both the innocence of youth and the presence of deeper, often darker, undercurrents. Raised within the traditions of the Catholic Church, her pieces continue to blend the sacred, the playful, and the mysterious.

After completing her studies, Maria spent several years working as an artisan bookbinder. This experience left a lasting impression on her artistic practice; the influence of traditional craftsmanship is evident in the meticulous way she constructs the dioramas, paper houses, and other delicate objects through which she tells stories.

Blending painting with assemblage, she creates intimate scenes and quietly haunted spaces—personal moments transformed into small, imaginary worlds. Her work represents a gentle search for understanding, drawing inspiration from nature, inner life, and the silent stories objects hold.

Most recently, Maria has been creating papercut figurines and peep shows, broadening her artistic practice as she explores new techniques and opens up new dimensions within her art.

Artwork Themes & Subject Matter

Maria Gordon’s work delves into existential themes, the connection between nature and spirit, and the search for light in the darkness. Her sources of inspiration include childhood memories, the Cantabrian gray seascape and beech forests. Her religious upbringing also plays an important role, alongside influences from folklore, paganism, and the world of dreams.

She creates stories of creatures and landscapes from other worlds. Through her paintings, dioramas, and little houses, she transforms memories into myths and strange tales—reflecting on themes of hope, belief, and inner refuge.

Press

Maria Gordon’s artworks have been featured in notable magazines including Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Issue 48, Haus A Rest Issue 55, and Suboart Magazine, Nr. 32

Upcoming Exhibitions

CV

Education

2016

BA in Philosophy, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain

Selected Group Exhibitions

2025

Every Creature’s Story, Online Show, Anthology Gallery, Idaho, United States

See also

18

PAINTINGFIGURATIVE ARTNUDE ARTOILPORTRAITUREREALISM

Liz Gridley

Once Upon a Nightmare Online Show, Curio Art Gallery, Lisbon, Portugal

2024

Child’s Play: Exploring Childhood Through Art, Norman Rea Gallery, University of York

Featured in Hidden, House of Smalls, Edinburgh

My Haunted Dollhouse, Chicken Shop Hermits, London

2022

Songs of the Imbeciles, Baskwell Arts, Edinburgh