Marija Stefanovic
Marija Stefanović is a visual artist and art therapy practitioner whose work explores the healing power of the creative process. Her paintings are deeply personal, made through quiet rituals of introspection and the uncovering of raw emotions. Each piece begins as an honest dialogue with the self, a meditative journey into buried emotions or thoughts that seek recognition, release, and transformation.
In parallel with her studio practice, Marija is committed to deepening her understanding of the relationship between visual art, the subconscious, and emotional healing. Through her ongoing studies and practice in art therapy, she continues to explore the transformative potential of the creative process, not only as a personal path but as a means of supporting others on their own journeys. At the heart of her work lies a clear mission: to use art as a bridge between the visible and the invisible, the personal and the universal, and to contribute to individual and collective healing through both her artistic and therapeutic practice.
Healing journey
There is a rare synthesis in her work, one that reconciles stillness with intensity, serenity with emotional rawness. Her practice unfolds along two seemingly different directions: one contemplative, rooted in silence and introspection, and the other exploring emotional and subconscious depths, deeply moving, thought provoking, or even unsettling. These two modes exist in delicate tension and, ultimately, in profound harmony.
Her process always begins with introspection, a quiet and honest dialogue with herself. This is a journey into the states of mind and heart that demand attention, release, or transformation. The painting process becomes a form of meditation, an act of being present, allowing emotion and subconscious images to flow through lines, textures, and brushstrokes. The results can be striking in their duality - on one hand, her meditative ‘soul scapes’, often reminiscent of misty horizons, dreamlike coastlines, or surreal landscapes, speak to the artist’s search for inner peace. They are the artist’s refuge, the safe place, and a source of inner balance and strength.
On the other hand, a more emotionally charged or thought-provoking work emerges. The paintings become visual metaphors, psychologically resonant, and at times raw in their honesty. Here, the recurring subjects in her work: emotions, pain, life cycle, transformation, and healing, are being transalted into a visual narrative, painted in a contemporary surrealist or symbolist manner. The result of this process is not just expressive, but deeply therapeutic, cathartic at times, for both the artist and the viewer.
For the love of Nature
Marija believes that creative expression and environmental responsibility are not only compatible but mutually enriching. With a deep respect for the natural world, she prefers to work with high-quality handmade, repurposed, and natural materials, continually exploring new ways to create in harmony with nature.
She uses natural watercolors, crafted from foraged earth and plant pigments, handmade by artisans or prepared herself, and applied to a handmade, responsibly sourced, or recycled paper. She frequently experiments with botanical inks and natural dyes, embracing their organic unpredictability and subtle tonal variations.
Her oil paintings are created with water-soluble, environmentally friendly oil paint, which she blends with natural and repurposed materials: sand, gravel, dry pigments, used coffee grounds, and tea leaves. Through this sustainable approach, she not only reduces her ecological footprint but also honors the materials themselves as collaborators in the creative process.