Maria Cortés (b. 1968, Valencia) is a Spanish artist celebrated for her dynamic, impressionistic seascapes and vivid coastal scenes. Working primarily with a palette knife, her signature style combines bold colour with expressive texture, resulting in original oil paintings brimming with movement and energy.
Although she initially trained in law, Cortés soon realised her true calling lay elsewhere. Driven by a deep passion for painting, she chose to dedicate herself entirely to the pursuit of art, teaching herself to paint and drawing inspiration from the luminous landscapes of her native Valencia—the lagoon, the beaches, and the ever-changing Mediterranean light.
A lifelong traveller, Maria has gathered impressions from cities such as Paris, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Casablanca and Rome, weaving them into a striking cityscapes. Her work reflects her ability to distil the atmosphere of a place into pure colour and form.
In recent years, her work has evolved into a more contemporary and distinctive celebration of sailing. Her powerful yacht paintings, with their sweeping ocean blues and kinetic compositions, have captivated collectors across Europe and the United States. Few artists handle oil paint with the same freedom and confidence Cortés brings to the canvas—each piece a testament to her intuitive grasp of rhythm, balance, and movement.
Cortés has exhibited in numerous solo and group shows internationally, earning a loyal following and critical praise for her ability to transform scenes of land and sea into vivid, emotionally resonant works of art.
Maria Cortés (b. 1968, Valencia) is a Spanish artist celebrated for her dynamic, impressionistic seascapes and vivid coastal scenes. Working primarily with a palette knife, her signature style combines bold colour with expressive texture, resulting in original oil paintings brimming with movement and energy. Although she initially trained in law, Cortés soon realised her true ... Read Full Bio
