The start of Maia’s visual research was based on documenting and watching how ink and water mixes on top of a piece of paper, with the addition of glycerine, which then created the base of her primary research. Part of the idea behind this was to explore the calming and mesmerising effects water can have on someone and how when combined with colour, it can then be developed into imagery, forming shapes and patterns, which then progressed her project.




Maia wanted to explore hard surfaces rather than solely fabric in order to make the most of what she had at home. She used the shapes from her previous research to create larger experimental pieces. For example, she experimented with clay and resin, which started off square, then developing into larger, less organic shapes that fitted together like a puzzle. This was a theme that carried throughout her project. She also played with off-cuts of stained glass which were used as embellishments to her artwork. When exploring the light concept, she UV printed onto recycled acrylic, which then allowed the light to interact with the artwork and create beautiful shadows.




When the time came for access to the print studio, Maia further developed her exploration of colour and water by experimenting on fabrics. There were two main experiments, one on recycled polyester and then one on hot melt fabric to create texture, which also involved watering down the pastes on the fabric for a more water coloured effect. These created the start to her final prints. She then used her skill of photography to zoom into areas and edited them to enhance the colour.