Speaking with Artist, Maria J. William

Maria J. William is an artist whose work shows true creativity and imagination. She creates striking pieces with beautiful detail, combining realism and fantasy.

In our latest Azutura artist interview, we caught up with Maria and talked about her work, a typical day, powerful women and much more.

Hi Maria, thanks for taking the time out to speak with us. Can you start off by introducing yourself and telling us a little about your life?

Thank you so having me! I’m a traditional artist based in Brooklyn, NY. I have been creating art for as long as I can remember, professionally since 2000.

I was a print artist for many years, exhibiting and selling prints of my work at themed conventions all over the U.S. Currently, I’m focusing more on personal work, expanding my Etsy store and participating in some colouring book related collaborations and events.

I’m also helping to run the Star Dust Art Collective, which I co-founded two years ago with several fellow artists.

You moved from Ukraine to the USA. Can you tell us about the change in cultures? Did it inspire you as an artist?

I dreamed about coming to the US since I was about six years old, so it felt more like coming home rather than a foreign country. The biggest inspiration to me was getting to meet Boris Vallejo and Julie Bell in person - they had been my favourite artists for years, and pretty much the reason I got into fantasy art.

What’s a typical day like in the life of Maria J. William?

It varies from day to day, but it always begins with a big cup of coffee early in the morning, feeding my two cats, and seeing my 14-year-old son off to school. After that, I usually work on my art, prepare and pack orders if any, answer e-mails, catch up on my social media, and update my website if need be.

I love reading but don’t have enough time for it, so I usually listen to audiobooks while working on art. In the afternoon I might go on a long walk, running errands or just reference-hunting with my camera and cook dinner.

My evenings are spent either working on my writing, browsing the internet for inspiration, cosying up with a movie or playing videogames.

How and when did you first become interested in art?

I literally can’t remember a time when I wasn’t interested in it. My mom says I started drawing as soon as I learned to hold a pencil.

What mediums do you use to create your work in?

I work mostly in graphite and watercolours, though I’ve created work in other media, such as coloured pencils, ink, oils, and acrylics. I’ve also done some digital art in the past, but at present, my work is 100% traditional.

Your work largely has a fantasy theme. Can you tell us what attracts you to this subject?

I’ve always had a wild imagination. Fantasy is a versatile genre that allows me to let it loose.

Your work also features many powerful women. Can you tell us a little about this?

When I was a child, fashion options were severely limited, and sensual feminine beauty was considered to be a bad thing. The ideology of that time and place showed strong women as unadorned and manly. So, since early on, I tried to make my art the opposite of that aesthetic. Besides, creativity, spirituality, and nature are very important to me, and I see them as feminine forces.

Can you tell us about your book, “Warriors and Dreamers”?

It was published in 2015 and features a collection of my favourite pieces up until then, combined with a short vignette I’ve written about the nature of creativity and poetic descriptions for each piece.

What inspires your work?

So many things. It might be a song, or a dream, or a memory, or a photo that gets my imagination going. My talented fellow artists also inspire me daily.

I noticed on your website that you’re a big literary fan. Who are some of your favourite authors?

Too many to list, but I’d say, Dan Simmons, Octavia Butler, and Jeff Vandermeer are among my top five.

You also write yourself. Are these similar themes to your art?

I’m kind of all over the place when it comes to writing. The book I’m currently preparing for publishing is dark fantasy/steampunk. I also have a dystopian space opera and a post-apocalyptic sci-fi in the works.

If you weren’t an artist, what career would you have pursued?

I would’ve loved to work with horses in some capacity.

What advice would you give to an aspiring artist?

Never give up! Keep drawing. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. And please, please don’t feel like the world is going to end if you don’t upload something to your social media for a few days.

It puts so much pressure on artists, and I find it sad seeing the depression and art blocks that come from it. Every piece of art you create is a treasure.

What’s the future looking like? Anything big on the horizon?

I’ve recently gotten involved in the adult colouring community, so I’m hoping to release my first full-format colouring book in the summer. Our Art Collective has just had a call for artists, and I’m planning to work hard to make it flourish this year.

I would also like to publish the first book of my trilogy, and maybe start working on another art book.