Maria Emilov
Fine artist and photographer
I’m Maria Emilov, a Birmingham-based visual artist working in oils, mixed media, and collage. I create cityscapes, abstract portraits, and objets d’art, and I also teach mixed media and abstract painting.
Art for me is both a playground and a laboratory. I work primarily with oils, mixed media, and collage to explore the textures, colours, and patterns that make everyday life visually compelling. My cityscapes capture the rhythm and character of urban environments, while my abstract portraits aim to reveal the inner landscapes of human emotion. Alongside these, I create objets d’art that merge functionality with artistic expression, bringing unexpected sparks of creativity into homes and offices.
Teaching is a fundamental part of my artistic journey. Guiding students through mixed media and abstract painting allows me to share my passion for experimentation and risk-taking. I love seeing students embrace accidents as part of the process and discovering their own artistic voices. Every class is an exploration, and I consider my role to be both mentor and co-adventurer.
My work draws on a wide range of influences—from the precision of classical painting to the freedom of modern abstraction, and from urban textures to the subtleties of human emotion. Each piece is an invitation to pause, reflect, and connect with the world in a different way. Creativity, for me, is a joyful and unpredictable adventure, and I hope my work inspires others to embrace it with curiosity, humour, and openness.
