Maria Over is an illustrator based in Germany, who specializes in art for children’s books, stationery, and puzzles.
Maria is an artist and illustrator with Dutch and Greek roots, currently based in Munich, Germany. Working primarily in watercolor, she is drawn to recurring motifs of lush florals, birds, and figures.
Her work spans a wide range of applications, including licensing, jigsaw puzzles, home décor, stationery, and publishing. Maria holds a BFA in Sculpture from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague and an MA in Studio Art from New York University. Having lived and worked across several countries, her practice reflects a rich blend of cultural influences and visual references gathered along her creative journey. Before focusing fully on illustration, she worked as an art director in New York design agencies, launched a handcrafted jewelry label, and created large-scale window illustrations for retail spaces.
Maria’s watercolor illustrations are rooted in close observation and a love of collecting—textures, colors, fleeting moments, and small details that evoke memory and place. She approaches her practice with curiosity and play, allowing experimentation and intuition to guide her visual storytelling.
Her clients include eeBoo, Ravensburger, Penguin Random House, Design House Greetings, American Greetings, UNICEF, PPD, P&B Textiles, and Pictura, among others.
Outside the studio, Maria enjoys searching for vintage finds at flea markets, upcycling found objects, and spending time with her two children. Whenever possible, she travels to Greece, looking out at the sea and gathering the colors, textures, and atmosphere that find their way into her illustrations.