Interview
Maria Soloman
Maria Soloman was born in 1998 in Romania. From an early age, she has always had a passion for art. Now, she is a freelance children’s book illustrator, editorial illustrator, graphic designer, painter, etcher, and bookmaker. She is in her final year of a bachelor degree in illustration, at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. Recently her artwork was displayed at an online exhibition with the theme "All in the Family", in April 2021, and previously at El Barrio's Artspace, in November 2019, for an art show called "Home".
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I can say that I have always been inclined towards art. In kindergarten I started to take piano lessons, then shifted to ballet dancing, but I was always drawing or coloring. Only when I was in my last years of high school, did I know that I wanted to pursue art as a career. Now, I'm in my last year of illustration, at the School of Visual Arts in New York, and I can't wait to see what the future has to offer.”
“The principle of true art is not to portray but to evoke”
What inspires you most?
“Nature has always been a big inspiration for me. The colors, the patterns, and the textures, especially of mountains, can definitely be seen in my work. I also get inspired by the moves of dancers. Good dancers make their poses feel so natural and soft, and this can be seen in the poses of my characters.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Since I am a children's book illustrator, I can say that most of the themes that can be found in my work are: friendship, family, and/or adventure, but that is not necessarily in my radar when I am illustrating my art. For me, the most important thing about my art is that children would love to look at it.”
How would you describe your work?
“My work tends to be abstract, from all the patterns that I use in my plants. I like to use a limited color pallet that usually consists of browns, greens, and pinks. Most of the time I use a diagonal camera angle for my illustrations to convey the movement.”
Which artists influence you most?
“One of the artists that I always like to look at is Jane Newland, an illustrator from the UK. In her art, you can definitely see that she likes to use all the textures that nature has to offer. I am always amazed by her work and how she can use so much texture and patterns without making the illustrations feel suffocated.”
What is your creative process like?
My creative process most times is spent with children. I love to talk with them, and to learn from their creative thinking. Also, I just started this new process - before going to bed, I like to read short stories two or three times, hoping that I'll dream about them. Most of the time I end up dreaming of the character or the setting; and from there, I begin my illustrations.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“I believe that artists are starting to be more and more appreciated nowadays, especially after the COVID-19 lockdown. People need stories to escape from their reality. Artists’ artwork give us a deeper understanding of emotions and increases our level of self-awareness.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“A really powerful, annual exhibition that I love to see, is the Original Art Exhibition by the Society of Illustrators (https://societyillustrators.org/event/oa21-exhibit/). I think it is amazing to see side by side the most successful children’s illustrations that have ever been published.”
