Welcome to the site of Maria Aragon. The past speaks to the present here via mythology and allegory, color and beauty. Don’t be surprised if you see the Buddha rubbing shoulders with Athena or Christ, or if you see Venus striding forth atop a carpet of lotus blossoms. This cross-fertilization of symbols is intentional. If there is a message here, it is a transcendent one that embraces many forms and symbols, as you will see when you explore this online portfolio.
The art on this site has many, many influences from a wide range of historical artistic expressions: from ancient Egypt and classical Greece to the Byzantine Iconic style, from Medieval times to the Renaissance, and from the 18th century up to the Pre-Raphaelites and the Symbolists. My style has evolved into a cross between the direct simplicity of the early Renaissance with the more sophisticated styles of Botticelli and Raphael.
In the ‘80’s and ‘90’s, I worked exclusively in watercolor and alkyd doing landscapes – Alaska and Maryland. In 1999, I took up oil painting, exploring various themes and depicting figures such as Joan of Arc, Christ, Buddha, etc., etc. Mostly I have been delving into Greek mythological themes, my Olympus Series, with a particular emphasis on the Goddesses Athena and Aphrodite/Venus. In January, I hope to begin a new series or visual exploration working with Celtic and British mythological subjects and themes.
My icon of Saint Joan of Arc was in one of the Limner Gallery’s spring shows (in NYC).
I am self-taught and my name is Maria Aragon. I am also a novelist. My first published novel is called THE JINNIYAH, and is available from Amazon.com.
If you have any questions about any of the artwork on this site, e-mail me at aragon64@yahoo.com. Make certain that you mention the website or the specific artwork you might have inquiries about in the subject box.
Also, I have made prints available of some of my earlier works at Zazzle.com: simply type Aragon in the search box. I hope to be able to make prints of other works available in that format upon request, so feel free to contact me and I’ll see what I can do.
Thank you for visiting this site. I hope you like what you see.