About Maia

“Maia Negre does for the Central California mountains and sea in paint, what John Steinbeck did with words: Describes, defines, details, shares. 

The color and emotion of the Monterey Bay flow through Maia’s soul and onto canvas. It’s in her blood, and it’s in her art and she has become a favorite daughter in homes and galleries around Santa Cruz and the world.” 
-Ben Marcus, 2017, Merge4Socks Press Release

Serene and ethereal, in layers of translucent color, Maia Negre’s artwork defines with emotion, the beauty of water and light.

Her work communicates a striking and eloquent comprehension of the ocean, drawing from  compositional references of personal experience and memory.

She is largely inspired by surfing and time spent in and around water throughout Hawaii and California.

Her oil paintings are created using a combination of loose washes and intuitive brush strokes that simultaneously dissolve and merge into a beautiful state of bliss.

Born of Chinese and French decent, Maia is a first generation American.

She resides in Santa Cruz, California and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Painting and a minor in business from San Jose State University. 

She is an active participant in the annual Capitola Art & Wine Festival and has been a participating artist in the Santa Cruz Open Studios Art tour for 8 years, from 2015 - 2022. 

She is a licensed artist with Merge4socks, the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, and is one of Santa Cruz's most beloved and popular artists.

Her cards are available in Whole Foods Markets throughout Northern California, retail outlets Southern California, and Hawaii.

When she's not painting and running her art business, this gentle powerhouse can be found in the yoga studio, surfing, spending time with her family, or traveling to her favorite places. 

Follow her upcoming shows, projects, processes and inspirations, on Instagram at @maianegre. If you are interested in purchasing original works or commissioning custom projects, please use  the contact form on this site.