I have been drawing since I could hold a crayon and, during high school and early university, illustrated an independent comic book, "The Will to Power . . . and other neuroses," which served to hone my skills.  In high school I majored in Visual Arts in the Claude Watson Arts Program and graduated from the Illustration program at the Ontario College of Art and Design in 2003.  I primarily work in acrylic with collage—I find the unpredictable element involved in ripping up images into fragments of pattern and colour and then reassembling them into something new and beautiful endlessly fascinating and inspiring.  Most of my works could be loosely categorized as fantasy, although for the pieces nearest to my heart the closest description in my estimation would probably be "religious icons"—to the human form, since I don't subscribe to any particular religion.  I simply find the human form beautiful, especially the female, and I love lush textures, rich colours, and fine details, so I try to impart all those things into everything I create.

My work has been published in a variety of books and magazines, including Hero Games, Realms of Fantasy, and Strange Horizons.  I currently work in Toronto, Ontario as a freelance illustrator while pursuing various other creative interests, such as costuming, singing, and bellydancing; there are plenty of other skills I'd love to learn, but there just isn't enough time in the day.  I've also recently begun a small business making handmade jewellery along the same lines as much of my artwork—dark wire filigree punctuated by flashes of colour and light.

You can view more of Maral's artwork at sarcasm-hime.net, and she can be contacted by email at magpie.creations@gmail.com.

Tour Maral's work, piece by piece.

View thumbnails of Maral's work.