Maria Julia Calvo (Mayu) (1972) was born in Córdoba, province of Argentina and moved with her family to Venezuela before the young age of three years. Her parents instantly fell in love with this earthly paradise and settled in the city of Caracas, with four children of which she is the youngest. Maria grew up in the middle of a city of contrasts between the natural beauty of the Avila Mountain and the imposing modern buildings of the cosmopolitan capital city. Living just an hour away from the beach, and enjoying a lasting summer sun present the 365 days of the year, Maria fell in love with the sand, the sun, the macaws and resplendent green covering her adopted city.

 

She graduated as a Graphic Designer, got married, had a daughter, and moved to Memphis TN, where the magic for the years lived in those transparent beaches of the beautiful Caribbean, with toucans, and fluorescent orchids, motivated her to paint what she considers heaven’s branch on earth. Her paintings reflect the colorful life that the Latin-American Caribbean breathes in the Mid-South of the USA and its incredible natural expressionist beauty. Her work explores the relationship between color of joy and life.

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Solo shows (art exhibition): Four solo exhibitions in Memphis, at the Goodwin Gallery, Benjamin L Hooks Central Library, Memphis TN. "Caribe" (Oct-2013) "Tropicalia" (Aug-2015), and The City Hall of Memphis TN (Sep-Oct 2015)., some collectives: for the Hispanic Heritage Month on September of 2013 at Art Village Gallery in Memphis, and a Latino Memphis Festival at June 2015.

On 2015 and 2016 she was selected by "Paint Memphis" for to participate at the first event with over 70 nationwide artists to create the largest collaborative mural in town.