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I am a visual artist and designer currently based in Rotterdam. Before that, I have lived, studied and worked in Madrid, Barcelonaand Berlin.

Since 2008, I have been working mainly as illustrator and designer.  And, whenever I get the chance, I love to collaborate with artists, curators and writers, or work on my own personal projects.

In 2023 I was awarded a comic grant by the Berlin Senate to work on my first graphic novel: Nepenthes.

For some time, I also taught art workshops for children. It never ceases to amaze me what incredible things they come up with.

My list of clients includes publishing houses (Penguin Random House, Libros del KO, Cornelsen Verlag, Grup62, Editorial Teide), printed media (Yorokobu, Ling, Principia, La marea, Harpers Bazaar, Quimera, El País Semanal, Eldiario.es, El Salto, Pikara Magazine, M21), brands (Vueling Airlines, Seagrams, Ray Ban, Barceló Rum, Sol Beer, Riu Hotels & Resorts), record labels (Jabalina) and cultural collectives and institutions (Zemos98, Pandora Mirabilia, Medialab-Prado).

2008-2009 | Postgraduate Diploma in Creative Illustration. EINA, University School of Design and Art of Barcelona
2004-2007 | Art History. Humboldt University of Berlin.
2001-2002 | Erasmus Programme. Berlin University of the Arts. Berlin.
1997-2002 | Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts. Complutense University of Madrid.

I have taken part in a few exhibitions in galleries (Cámara Oscura, Parrotta Contemporary Art) cultural centers and institutions (Injuve, Centro Cultural Bastero, Karl Hofer Gesellschaft, Matadero Madrid) and independent art spaces (Halfhouse, Otro Espacio, RMS Space) mostly in the cities where I have lived and worked: Madrid, Berlin and Barcelona.

2023 | Comic Grant. Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Europe.
2011 | Junceda Awards 2011 (Catalonia's Association of Professional Illustrators). Category: Best Edition. Barcelona.
2010 | XI Edition ABC Art Awards. Second Prize. Madrid.
2009 | Artist in Residence. Madrid Procesos 09, AVAM. Karl Hofer Gesellschaft, Berlin.
2007-2008 | Artistic Creation Grant MUSAC (Museum of Contemporary Art Castilla y León).

2019 | Queens of Spanish Illustration in the XXI Century. Norma Editorial, Barcelona.
2013 | Spanish Illustrators. Lunwerg Publishing, Spain.

If you would like to discuss a project or have any other request, don’t hesitate to drop me a line or give me a call!

maria@castellosolbes.com
+31 653449593
+49 17634681084