Maria Radun
A Journey Through Art and Place
Born in Crimea by the Black Sea, Maria developed a deep connection with drawing and the natural world from an early age. Surrounded by the rich visual heritage of European art, she began forming a lifelong relationship with observation, light and place before moving to Australia as a teenager.
With a background in illustration and graphic design, Maria spent years working in the creative industry before dedicating herself fully to painting. In 2018, she completed a Bachelor of Fine Art at Monash University, followed by mentorship with Australian tonalist painters, where she continued to refine the enduring techniques and traditions of classical oil painting.
Painting a Sense of Belonging
Maria’s landscapes and still-life paintings explore the quiet beauty found in everyday surroundings. Through the daily practice of drawing and painting, she has cultivated a way of seeing that is both attentive and intuitive, allowing moments of light, atmosphere and emotion to become the foundation of her work.
Her paintings reflect a fascination with art as a counterpoint to the pace of contemporary life. Through careful observation and a deep connection with her subjects, Maria invites viewers to slow down, be present, and rediscover the fleeting moments of beauty that create a sense of belonging.
Education:
2018 – Monash University, Bachelor of Fine Arts
2012 – University of the Sunshine Coast, Bachelor of Computer Based Design, QLD
2004 – Chisholm Institute of TAFE, Diploma of Illustration
Awards:
2025 A.M.E Bale Travelling Scholarship Finalist & Works on Paper Finalist
2024 Curator’s Choice Award, VAS Spring Select Exhibition
2024 Recipient of Cecilia Beaux Mentorship Program, American Portrait Society
2023 40 Under 40 Art Prize Finalist
2023 Norma Bull Portrait prize, VAS Finalist
2022 A.M.E Bale Travelling Scholarship Finalist & Painting Award Highly Commended
2022 VAS Spring Select, Summer Select & Portrait Exhibition Finalist
2022 Swan Hill Print & Drawing Acquisitive Award Finalist
2021 Tacit Still Life Prize Finalist
2021& 2022 Art Lovers Australia Prize Finalist
2019 Wyndham Art Prize Finalist
2019 Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize
2010 ADFAS Curatorial Scholarship
Solo Exhibitions:
2024 “Grounded”, Kelli Lundberg Art, Vic
2023 “Present Sense”, Frankston Arts Centre, Vic
2021 “Stay a While”, Cook Street Collective Gallery, Flinders, Vic
2018 Residency Solo, Box Hill Arts Community Centre, Vic
2018 Intermission Gallery, Monash University, Vic
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2024 & 2025 Inner West Art Fair
2023 Silent Wings Exhibition, Kerri Greens Winery, Red Hill
2022 Winter Solstice Exhibition, Kerri Greens Winery, Red Hill
2022 Fifty Squared, Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy
2022 Police Point Retrospective Exhibition, Point Nepean
2020 True Form Group Show - Curation by Maria, Mornington
2017 Her-Story Exhibition, Sydney
Residencies:
2023 & 2025 The Pickers Hut Residency, Galziers Bay, Tasmania
2024 Peninsula Grammar, Vic
2024 Kelli Lundberg Art, Vic
2018 Police Point Artist in Residence program, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Vic
2018 Residency at Box Hill Community Arts Centre, Vic
Get In Touch
For questions on commissions, artworks, classes or my creative process, fill out the form below.
I will respond promptly. I look forward to hearing from you!