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

Alright, Maria thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

I am currently developing a series of artworks that portray the struggle of my people, their suffering, and the attachment to symbols and religion that serve as elements of strength and identity for Venezuelans. This project began with three pieces that were exhibited for Hispanic Heritage Month (2022) in the “Estamos Aqui” exhibition at BlackRock Center for the Arts. The feelings aroused by these pieces left a restlessness within in me that made me continue, in a kind of cleansing and venting of my frustration. I was human rights activist for Venezuela from the Washington DC area. I stopped physically being at rallies and activist events a few years ago, but the flame inside of me which urged me to call out to my people was never extinguished; it is now being seen in some of my artwork. It is as if we never stopped being ourselves or doing something, but instead is a change in course with the same concerns. Art is another way of expressing myself. I want to show a bit of hope, not only for myself, but for the millions of Venezuelans and citizens of the world that are suffering similar events. I want to express that even with the atrocities and destruction caused by a repressive regime, our spiritual freedom has not been lost, and it can be the great flame that helps us to continue forward. This is what I am working on for the series of works that I have called “Altares para Venezuela.”

Maria, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am a Latin American artist, born and raised in Venezuela, and I have been living in the United States for many years. I graduated as an architect, but from a very young age, I have had an attraction towards art, being creative since I was a child. I have lived with art since I was little. My father was an art dealer and that kept me in touch with it from my home with walls lined with Venezuelan impressionism, and my mother was an oil painter.
I have always liked creating with my hands. As a child I used to draw imaginary animals, trees and flowers. As a young adult, I worked as a terracotta artisan. I started painting about 25 years ago while traveling with my husband, taking advantage of opportunities in various countries with wonderful artists in their workshops. A few years ago, I embraced a new beginning just before pandemic time, reinventing myself and restarting my path in the visual arts.
My visits to museums and galleries have always been a time of entertainment and enrichment. I love seeing how many artists express themselves in images and pieces and how we can communicate our imaginary world, or how our references to lived experiences and how we see the world can be embodied in a work of art.
As I love visiting exhibitions, I love showing my pieces to the public, with the feeling that I am connecting people with an inherent message or an inherent talk, connecting people with my love for nature and with my concerns about what is happening not only to the environment but also to some countries in the world. As we are part of a whole, we must work together to find ways to respect the planet and live in balance as a human community in our only home planet earth.
During the last 3 years I have been creating images that I hope will connect the public with the beauty and importance of nature, creating a series of pieces that are a call for environmental awareness, with concern for what is happening with the environment, with a message that seeks to alert the public. These pieces have been exhibited in public places such as libraries, marketplaces and bookstores, as well as in art centers and galleries, giving access to all kinds of spectators to enjoy and reflect on them.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

I see art as a way to release energy, express emotions and a way to make a call to people. What is rewarding for me is having a piece on display in a public place, having the opportunity to speak to the public through what I have created. I want to contribute not just with the beauty of art, I want to show my story to the public and, most importantly, I want my concerns and calls for action on the environment and human rights to reach the viewers.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I see art as not an easy task if you want to show what you create. I think we are all creators, but not everyone feels the need to show their work, some just feel satisfaction in expressing themselves and enjoy their creation in a somewhat private way.
When you feel like you want to show your work and you’ve been rejected for exhibition opportunities, if your work hasn’t been liked because it’s unconventional in some way or doesn’t fall into the category of the pieces in the fashion of the moment, I get frustrated. Even with these difficulties and moments, a new strength arises within me that makes me continue in the search to express myself and show my works so that they can be seen by the public. I have had pauses in what I do, but they have been short and have not stopped my creative process.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mabvisualartist.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mabvisualartist/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mabvisualartist/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mabvisualartist/
• Other:

Image Credits
Photo credits: Rafael Franco & Angelica Franco