We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Maria Willison. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Maria below.

Maria, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

When I was a kid I enjoyed making art but I wasn’t very serious about it (which I don’t think was a bad thing, it was part of “play”). When I headed to college to get a BA I was like “Well, I don’t like doing anything else yet so I’ll just be an art major and see if something else catches my interested.”

Little did I know that I would start falling in love with art in a way that I didn’t know that was possible. I was enjoying my 2-D classes but at the end of sophomore year I took my first sculpture class and realized this is how I think, this is one aspect of how I express myself to the world, and this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

Well, the last one I was nervous to admit because obviously art can be a risky business when it comes to paying bills so I did’t really voice it for a while longer (even to myself) but it was there and I was alway striving, sculpture by sculpture, to get better and better to make that dream a reality.

I feel so blessed that I’m able to pursue art now full time as I still strive to make my art better and better.

Maria, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Well, as I mentioned in the last question, I really started getting serious about my art when I was in college. But even after I left college I wasn’t sure the best way to make it happen. But then, a couple of months after graduation, I was call by a local Chattanooga entrepreneur who was wanting me to move back to Chattanooga (I had moved back in with my parent in Bristol Tennessee for the summer). He said he was starting a local artist guild and he wanted me to be their first Guinea pig artist in residence in a way. Basically he would provide side work for me and we would make sure I had time to build my portfolio while still paying rent. It was a hard process at points but overall I felt very blessed to have that opportunity.

The products and services I provide are figurative sculptures in relief or in-the-round. Originally created in water or oil based clay with the ending product being in either fired clay, plaster, resin, or bronze. I like to create portraits (every face is interesting) and full figure works too. They can have a detailed concept behind the piece but yet I also enjoy creating work with no concepts too. The human form can speak for itself sometimes.

What sets me apart from other artists is I have deeply conceptualized narative work most of the time and, I believe, it comes through strongly in my pieces. I’m willing to work with clients to figure out what their vision is but I will also be honest with them to tell them what will make it fit better with the style that I do which, in the end, will make them happier with the artwork I provide.

I am proud of my growing skill level and I am proud of my ability to capture a moment and/or a feeling translated from the interesting models that I use.

I am also proud of my ability to manipulate the negative space around my figures.

I will work with any potential clients to make sure both of our visions for the work are aligning. I want both of us to come out of this process with a piece of art we both can be proud of.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

I was an emerging artist in an art festival once early in my career and I didn’t know it until after the fact but my work was the wrong style for what sold at this festival. I was surrounded by artists that were selling work left and right and there I was with my heart on my sleeve not selling anything. I had such high hopes for this show and those hopes was starting to dwindle. That is when one of the judges (there were prizes at this festival) came by and told me my art was irrelevant and I needed to figure out some other type of art to pursue…he told me this during the judging process….I was 24 and still tender and new coming out into the professional art world. Needless to say, I was shocked, crushed, and then angry (after I had processed what he had said).

Even without the terrible judge I was still feeling disheartened. Most artist have experience not selling work at shows. You thought you’d do well if not at least ok. There are two options at this juncture. Option 1: stop making art and find a new profession while doing some art on the side.. Option 2: Just keep making the figurative sculpture I love and continue trying to get people to see their world through my eyes, via my art. Don’t get me wrong, option 1 isn’t wrong and this can definitely be the right path for some people but that didn’t feel like an option for me. Making art and expressing myself through my art is in my bones. So I decided to pick up the broken pieces of what this guy shatter in his terrible wake and continue doing what I love.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Well, honestly just buying more local art. I know it can be out of some peoples price range but a lot of people could afford to buy a piece they love at least once in their lives if not more than once if they plan for it/prioritize it over other things. If the amount of people went up that did this the art market would be more stable and honestly would probably make the buyers homes a happier place to do live in with having local art that they picked out and love in their homes.

Contact Info:

• Website: mariawillison.com
• Instagram: @mariaevawillison

Image Credits: 

Headshot by Audrey Menard