Mariana Oppel is an Artist, Illustrator, Graphic and Web-designer, book creator, ceramic maker and teacher, Expressive Arts Facilitator.
Mariana has a degree in Commercial Art where she specialized in Illustration and has worked as a freelance designer and illustrator for many years.
She has also been making and selling her art, illustrations and designs in the forms of paintings, prints, greeting cards, t-shirts, handmade dolls, handmade paper mâché mirrors and other products, jewelry, books and more.
In the last few years Mariana was busy with a full time ceramics design business where she made ceramic pieces in small batches and sold them online at her website O-Ceramics and through shops like Madewell.com. Now she makes them for fun from time to time and sells them at: etsy.com/shop/marianoppelstudio/ when available- Follow @marianaoppel.studio Instagram page for updates.
Years of making and teaching art has shown her how important it is to create and how transformative art can be. The simple act of expressing oneself through art can help develop a sense of self-awareness and self-esteem that would not be so easily possible in any other way.
Her own self healing and self awareness journey led Mariana to chose to help others through Art and Creativity sessions and Workshops and trained as an Expressive Arts Therapy facilitator with the Creative Connection method of Natalie Rogers. You can see more of this work at : Joy Circle Arts where she also organizes and facilitates Art and Music Camps, retreats and Creative experiences.
In her own words:
“I am mostly a self taught artist. Through the years I worked with many different techniques and disciplines including: Drawing, painting, print making, sculpture, collage, papier maché, ceramics, glass fussing, mosaics, textiles, batik and tie dye, sewing, jewelry making, etc.
I lived in different countries and travel to many places, which confirmed my inherent understanding that love is the glue that keeps us all together.
My favorite was living in the rainforest of Costa Rica which deeply inspired me. I love nature. I love color and line and contrast. I love design, and the arts of the indigenous peoples of the world. All these inspire me. I hope that by sharing my gifts I inspire others as well.”