Maria Marais
Maria Marais is an artist who lives and works in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. Born in Eswatini to Portuguese parents, her family relocated to the Lowveld in 1965.
Highways as a Metaphor for Life
Reflections on Journey, Place, and Belonging
"Highways have become a powerful metaphor for my life. Whenever I travel, I am aware of the duality of the road—how it can mean both departure and arrival, leaving home or returning to it. The physical path I traverse is still unchanged, the same stretch of tarmac winding through familiar or unfamiliar landscapes, with the feeling within me shifting dramatically, depending on my direction. The emotions of anticipation and nostalgia mingle, painting my travels with significance beyond the journey itself.
If I am leaving home, the highway stretches ahead, full of promise and possibility. The passing scenery, the changing light, the rhythm of wheels on road—all these become part of my anticipation. The landscapes I see are imbued with mystery, hinting at experiences yet to unfold, and in these moments the road embodies hope, courage, and curiosity.
Conversely, when I am returning home, the same road takes on a contrasting character. The road becomes a thread weaving together my past and present, a symbol of continuity and security.
I have always felt drawn to landscapes—they inspire me and ground me. Yet, when it comes to art, I find myself preferring landscapes that feature a road or a path. There is something compelling about an image that suggests movement, direction, and invitation. The inclusion of a road transforms a static scene into a narrative, capturing the tension between departure and arrival, between exploration and the comfort of returning home.
Ultimately, the road is both a literal and figurative journey mirroring the transitions and milestones of life, reminding me that every departure is also a step towards belonging, and every arrival is tinged with the memory of travel. Whether I am seeking the excitement of the new or the reassurance of the familiar, the road stays constant—shifting only in the emotions it evokes. Through its metaphor, I understand that life is not just about the places I visit, but about the journey between them, and the feelings that accompany each passage." Maria Marais, 2026
Most of Marais's career has been working in architecture, alongside which she has participated in several exhibitions and art-related workshops.
New Editions from The Artists' Press
Artists A - L (listed by surname)
Artists M- X (listed by surname)
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Title: Lodestar
Medium: Hand coloured lithograph.
Paper size: 37 x 28 cm
Edition size: 5
Price: R 3 000 (excl.VAT)
"A lodestar is a star, most notably the North Star, or Polaris - used for navigation. In a broader sense, the word can also refer to a person, principle, or guiding light that offers direction and inspiration.
For me, that guiding light was my mother.
This piece recalls a childhood journey home at night, when our car’s headlights failed on a mountain pass leaving us in total darkness. By faint torchlight, my mother guided the car to the safety of the road verge until help arrived, just as she guided us both literally and figuratively throughout our lives.
It is a tribute to her, the enduring guiding light and North Star by which I still navigate my life, willingly and sometimes reluctantly." Maria Marais 2026
Title: Stones Unturned
Medium: Single colour lithograph.
Paper size: 57 x 46 cm
Edition size: 20
Price: R 5 500 (excl.VAT)
"This is a small selection of stones my husband would bring home with him from his work travels across the world. On his return, he would choose which side to display, and on the reverse, would write the Country Code from which they were carefully chosen. They spoke to him, he would say.
It was also a silent tribute to his father before him, who was a Geologist and taught him of the miracle that is the earth we live upon." Maria Marais, 2026
Title: Straight Home I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76 x 56 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: Straight Home II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76 x 56 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: Straight Home III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76 x 56 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: No Turning Back I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76 x 56 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: No Turning Back II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76 x 56 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: No Turning Back III
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76 x 56 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: No Turning Back IV
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 76 x 56 cm
Edition size: 1/1
Price: R 8 000 (excl.VAT)
Title: Rebound I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 77 x 57.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: Rebound II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 77 x 57.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: Places and Spaces in Between I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 77 x 57.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: Places and Spaces in Between II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 77 x 57.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: Nebula
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 77 x 57.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: The Wake of the Day I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 77 x 57.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: The Wake of the Day II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 77 x 57.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: Winding Back I
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 70 x 50.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
Title: Winding Back II
Medium: Monotype
Paper size: 77 x 57.5 cm
Edition size: 1/1
SOLD
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