Maureen Maki

Maureen’s Story

I think of these paintings as alchemy – a magical process of transformation. Different elements come together on the canvas and combine to create something new.

For as long as I can remember I was serious about making art.

I was raised in Michigan. My dad worked a variety of factory jobs and our family moved around quite frequently. When I look at my work through the years, it’s clear that I painted my way through life – the beauty, the pain, the difficulties and the joys. I kept painting, kept creating at all costs.

I later pursued a degree in Art and fell deeply in love with printmaking – diving head first into the world of paper, patterns and color, exploring new processes and techniques.

After graduating I opened an art gallery and exhibited my work and that of others. I painted daily and showed my work everywhere I could, making a splash in the Downtown Detroit art scene.
At a very stressful time in my life I fell into pain and addiction, but never stopped creating, never stopped making art. Eventually I came out on the other side. Later whenever my mood plummeted, and my life force was at an all-time low, I painted strong emotional paintings that screamed – I am alive.

So as long as I kept creating, I was alive.

That period was a hard and painful journey in which I discovered what I valued most as an artist, and as a human being. My greatest lesson has been learned through living as an artist. I learned how to persevere no matter what.
Here in Los Angeles, I painted my way into galleries, shows, and even a studio atop a hill with a view. I have painted my life – images of my friends, my fears, even my vegetable garden – and everything that happened along the way. I continue to paint what I feel. It excites me, it calms me, it brings me joy.

Art has taught me that life can be amazing when you stick it out and see things through. The energy and the inspiration needed for art and for life itself is always there for you when you need it.