Author: Kara Maria

Nature’s Pull

Nature’s Pull brings together the work of work by Jane Bauman, Suvan Geer, Kara Maria, and Chris Richter. Through distinct approaches to painting and mixed media the exhibition considers our relationship to the natural world within a time of profound environmental change. Moving between intimate observations of species, ecosystems, geological time, and the traces of human presence, these artists invite us to consider nature not as something separate from us, but as a constantly evolving and interconnected system.

October 15 – November 7, 2026

Exhibition Preview: Thursday, October 15, 5-8pm

Artist Reception: Saturday, October 24, 6-8pm

SCAPE, Main Gallery, 2859 East Coast Highway, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625

(image: Electric Life Forever, (tricolored blackbird), acrylic on canvas, 26 x 26 inches, 2021)

Het Beste Women

Group exhibition including the work of 19 women artists at b. sakata garo.

October 7 – October 31, 2026

Reception: Saturday, October 10, 5-7pm

b. sakata garo, 923 20th Street, Sacramento, CA 95811

(image: Tropic of Cancer, (greater spotted eagle), 26 x 26 inches, acrylic on canvas, 2025)

Energy and Motion II: Abstraction 2026

Mark Moore Fine Art proudly presents “Energy and Motion II: Abstraction 2026”, an exclusive online group exhibition on ARTSY featuring a dynamic collection of abstract works by 19 distinguished artists exploring a diverse range of materials and techniques.

September 17 – November 29, 2026

Mark Moore Fine Art, ARTSY Online Viewing Room, Los Angeles, CA 92869

(image: The Magic Garden, (California spotted owl), 56 x 46 inches, acrylic on canvas, 2026)

It’s Not Trash: Reclaiming and Transforming

It’s Not Trash: Reclaiming and Transforming combines a selection of 40 artists from Recology San Francisco’s Artist in Residence (AIR) Program and five invited artists from the Bay Area.  All participating artists created their work from reclaimed materials, shifting what is perceived of as “trash” to reimagined art objects.  Curated by Lisa Lightman.

September 17 – November 24, 2026

Petaluma Arts Center, 230 Lakeville Street, Petaluma, CA 94952

(image: Mika, 36 x 72 inches, acrylic on canvas, 2015, Collection of Recology, San Francisco, CA)

Reclaimed: The Art of Recology

A traveling survey of work by 33 artists who participated in Recology’s Artist-in-Residence program. Curated by Emilee Enders, the exhibition originated at the Bedford Gallery in Walnut Creek, CA.

September 1 – December 11, 2026

Syracuse University Art Museum, Joe and Emily Lowe Galleries, Shaffer Art Building, Syracuse, NY 13210

(image: Seagull, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 24 inches, 2014, Collection of Recology, San Francisco, CA)

Kara Maria – Painter & Printmaker

Episode 68 of art writer Emily Wilson’s podcast “Art is Awesome!” was released on April 28, 2026. It features an interview with me standing in front of my artwork installed at the Chase Center in San Francisco. Artwork will be on display for the remainder of 2026. 

(image: me standing in front of Cosmic Expansion at the Chase Center in 2026, UV-cured acrylic on six gessoed plywood panels, 120 x 180 inches, produced at Magnolia Editions, Oakland, CA)

Homegrown Series

Sponsored by Adobe, The Homegrown Series is a platform to showcase local artists, their communities, and their bodies of work.

January – December 2026

Chase Center, 1 Warriors Way, San Francisco, CA 94158

(image: Cosmic Expansion, UV-cured acrylic on six gessoed plywood panels, 120 x 180 inches, 2025, produced at Magnolia Editions, Oakland, CA)

Coalition on Homelessness (COHSF), Art Auction 2026, Tuesday, September 10, 5:30-10pm, SOMArts Cultural Center, San Francisco, CA.

Root Division, 25th Annual Benefit Art Auction, Thursday, October 22, 7-10pm, Root Division, San Francisco, CA.

Institute of Contemporary Art San José (ICASJ), 2026 Benefit Art Auction, Saturday, November 14, ICASJ, San José, CA.

(image: Luminance Channel, 16 x 16 inches, acrylic on canvas, 2011, ICASJ 2026 Benefit Art Auction)

BAY AGENDA: The Art of Recology

Bay Made interview by KALW Executive Producer Ben Trefny with Deborah Munk, Director of the Artist in Residence Program At Recology, San Francisco, artist Jane Kim, and artist Kara Maria.

Published September 17, 2025

www.kalw.org

(image: DETAIL: Mika, 36 x 72 inches, acrylic on canvas, 2015, Collection of Recology, San Francisco, CA)

New Lithograph 2025

I am pleased to announce the release of my new color lithograph “Ferret in the Headlights (black-footed ferret)“, published by Shark’s Ink., Lyons, CO.

The black-footed ferret inhabits Colorado, and is arguably the most endangered mammal in the United States. Conservationists are attempting to save the species through methods including cloning.

www.sharksink.com

Shark’s Ink., 550 Blue Mountain Road, Lyons, CO 80540

303-823-9190

(image: Ferret in the Headlights (black-footed ferret), 18 x 15 inches, edition of 20 plus proofs, color lithograph, 2025, Shark’s Ink., Lyons, CO)

Review for Wow What a Shit Show

Review (in German) of group exhibition of American artists responding to actions and policies of the current U.S. government, by Von Holger Pöschl, June 3, 2025.

Räume für zeitgenössische Kunst Neustadt, Galerie Bürgy-de Ruijter, Maximillanstrasse 35, Neustadt, Germany.

www.upart-online.de

(image: Die Rehinpfalz, Kultur Regional, June 3, 2025)

Digital catalog to accompany the first show at The Floating Museum on the Barge by the Hall Art and Technology Foundation.

Please view the catalog by clicking here.

Exhibition continues until Summer 2025. You can book an appointment to tour show here.

Hall Art and Technology Foundation, 2517 Blanding Avenue, Alameda, CA 94501

www.hallartandtechnologyfoundation.com

(image: Who Watches the Watchers?, 46 x 46 inches, acrylic on canvas, 2011, Collection of Hall Art and Technology Foundation, Alameda, CA)

Kara Maria – Precious and Precarious

Episode 16 of the environmental podcast Chrysalis with John Fiege is a conversation about my endangered species paintings.

www.chrysalispodcast.org

(image: Detail of Every Murmur Becomes a Wave, (gray wolf), acrylic on canvas, 46 x 56 inches, 2019, Private Collection, Pacific Grove, CA)

Prints & Drawings department acquisitions

I’m thrilled to have both my 2022 and 2023 lithographs from Shark’s Ink. added to MFAH’s permanent collection.

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005

713-639-7300

(image: Under Simple Stars, (Great Basin silverspot butterfly), 30 x 22 inches, color lithograph, 2023, Shark’s Ink., Lyons, CO)

Permanent Collection Acquisition

My 2010 painting Safari was added to the permanent collection of the Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation.

Frederick R. Weisman Art Foundation, Los Angeles, CA

310-277-5321

tours@weismanfoundation.org

(image: Safari, 18 x 18 inches, acrylic on canvas, 2010)

A short interview titled Meet Kara Maria – Artist is available on ShoutoutLA as part of The Decision Makers Series: Inspiration.

Published January 15, 2024, Los Angeles, CA.

shoutoutla.com

(image: Kara Maria, 2022, photo courtesy of de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara, CA)

de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, Santa Clara, CA

January 28 – June 10, 2022

• squarecylinder.com, “Jaimie Baron on Kara Maria”, by Jaimie Baron, April 16, 2022

• The Santa Clara, “Kara Maria’s Abstract World of Endangered Animals”, by Matthew Lallas, February 4, 2022

• metroactive, “Kara Maria at De Saisset Museum”, by Grace Stetson, January 26, 2022

(image: installation view, de Saisset Museum, Santa Clara University, 2022)

“The Nature Conundrum”

by David M. Roth, June 2, 2021 on Squarecyliner.com

Review of recent solo exhibition Regarding Extinction at Anglim/Trimble.

“…hard-hitting…and most relevant.”

Read the full review

(image: Installation view, Regarding Extinction at Anglim/Trimble, San Francisco, 2021)

Le Galeriste offers face masks, t-shirts, tote bags, leggings, and more, featuring images from my paintings.

All products made in Montréal, QC, Canada

www.legaleriste.com/kara.maria

(image: me wearing Cloud Nine face mask, scarf, and dress from Le Galeriste)

The Billboard Creative is a non-profit organization that turns billboards into public art sites. An image of my painting Kaleidoscope Eyes was featured on a 12 x 24 foot billboard at North Fairfax Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, CA from February to March, 2020.

www.thebillboardcreative.com

(image: billboard installed in West Hollywood, CA, 2020 (Kaleidoscope Eyes, (green sea turtle), 2017, 26 x 26 inches, acrylic on canvas))

Published in conjunction with my 2016 survey exhibition at CSU Chico, this 56-page, full color catalogue is available for $20 (plus taxes and shipping).

(image: Head Over Heels, 2015, 48 x 60 inches, acrylic on canvas, Collection of Ellie Mae, Pleasanton, CA)