Instagram: @niadartcenter
Website: https://niadart.org/collections/maria-radilla
Bio: "Maria Radilla (b. 1969) is a Bay Area painter and fiber and textile artist. Since joining NIAD Art Center in 2005, Radilla has produced dozens of intricately embroidered quilts inspired by the dolls, fashion, and gardens of her childhood. She has been featured in group exhibitions at Sonoma State University Art Gallery, Et al. Gallery, Eddie Rhodes Gallery, Marin MOCA, and the OMCA. In 2024, Radilla's work was acquired for the public collection of the Regional Center for the East Bay in San Leandro, CA. "
Statement: "“I started creating art at NIAD in 2005, and since being here I’ve learned how to make dolls and embroider quilts in my own style. I’m inspired by my childhood in Mexico, fashion, food, flowers, and traditions where we give and receive gifts. These are the things that I really love. When I make artwork with fabrics, I think about my experiences: growing up, I had dolls and played with them in fields of flowers by my home. I love flowers that are red or yellow or white. I also look at a lot of books, especially a big book of colorful birds and a catalogue filled with pictures of beautiful old dolls. I go through the images and pick a different doll to embroider onto a quilt or make into my own doll. I’ve also made dolls based on figures in paintings, like the people in Goya’s paintings of the Spanish courts.” - Maria Radilla"