Maria is a freelance illustrator based in London. Heavily influenced by the natural world, with a subtle hint of Scandinavian style, Maria enjoys exploring the various tactile qualities of colour, pattern and texture. Through striking ink drawings and gouache painting, to highly intricate detailed illustrations, Maria's sensitive and thoughtful designs seem to grow organically, forming layers of intrigue, providing a beautiful, fresh, contemporary appeal.
Maria is a co-founder of Drawn Together Art Collective. The Drawn Together Art Collective unites two artists, Maria Nilsson and Rebecca Hunter, who found friendship and a shared creative vision in a South London studio. Influenced by a love of music, travelling and nature, the duo combined, enabling them to embark on various projects, including gallery displays, market stalls and collaborations. Although working closely together, the individual members retain personal identities of artistic style and expression. Buy prints here.
Reviews of ‘Pittipat's Saucer of Moon’ Children’s Picture Book
"Highly recommended for Geraldine McCaughrean's lilting prose and Maria Nilsson's dreamy pictures." — The Times
"Evoking a Maurice Sendak-like dreamscape this night-time rhyme is packed with clever language and definitely deserves to be read aloud... lovely and magical." — Books for Keeps
"Cleverly worded by Geraldine McCaughrean and cleverly illustrated in line, shapes and colour by Maria Nilsson." — School Librarian
"Attractive, swirling lines and delicious gold and blue-green colours add to the pleasure for younger readers." — Carousel
Reviews of ‘50 Things to see in the Sky’ Book
“Maria Nilsson’s whimsical and accurate drawings enhance the book’s tasteful blue-and-white color scheme” — Foreword Reviews
"In this stargazer's guide (with a glow-in-the-dark cover), astrophysicist Barker gives tips for finding celestial phenomena with or without a telescope. She shares practical tips and tricks to navigate the boundless sky, such as how to identify the constellation Orion, spot the red supergiant star Betelgeuse and even locate the Apollo 11 moon landing site. The amusing illustrations and maps come in handy to identify the right time and place for observing. Although only 50 sights are highlighted, there is much more to explore out there. As Barker writes, 'the sky isn't the limit-the sky has no limit.'"
— Scientific American
Reviews of ‘50 Things To Do With a Penknife’ Book
“From quick crafts such as whittling a doorstop, bookmark and flowerbed marker to kitchen carvings, cork creations and even preparing fish, handy step by step instructions and illustrations will aid every step of the way.” — The Present Finder
“Chock full of charming hand-drawn illustrations that clearly show the steps and emphasize the tactile nature of knife use, all in a down-to-earth style that keeps it all very approachable for beginners.” — Garrett Wade
