Art With All is pleased to present WAKE UP CALL, a solo exhibition at the gallery of work by Maria Estrela, curated by Armisey Smith. Estrela’s work will remain on view from January 20, 2024, to February 23, 2024. 

Maria Estrela is a Luso-African mixed media collage artist focusing on her African roots. Raised in Portugal by Cape Verdean parents off the coast of West Africa, Maria seeks to reclaim her heritage of Luso-African descent through her experiences. 

Estrela’s interest in collage began in 2018 in a workshop by artist Mansa Mussa. Since then, collage/mixed media have become a key element in Estrela’s work.  Her collages seek to reunite women with nature by placing them in landscapes surrounded by found objects and re-contextualizing their power, emphasizing the correlation between the beauty of nature and all women. 

Maria creates to heal and draw inspiration for herself by weaving narratives of resilience and empowerment. Her collages are a clarion call for women to re-engage with nature and reposition women’s view of themselves in the natural world. 

Join us for an opening reception at Art With All LLC (AWA) Gallery, 408 Bloomfield Ave, Suite A in Montclair, New Jersey. Exhibit admission is free, and the gallery is open from 9 to 5, Monday through Friday, and by appointment. AWA is wheelchair-accessible, and on-site parking is available.