Maja has been doing art for as long as she can remember. She used to work with oils but recently she began making small works on paper with watercolor and ink. She’s drawn to paper and ink because she says it feels like writing and it also seems to activate the part of her brain that wants to tell stories. She adds that there’s something about the fluidity and immediacy of ink and watercolor that seems to keep her visually engaged. Unlike oil paint the specificity and immediacy of ink marks is important to her. “You can’t go back into watercolor and ink. Going back to the writing allegory, watercolor and ink do not allow her to edit, which is something she did so much when she painted with oil. Working on paper with watercolor and ink forces her to be more honest because she can’t edit; for her, the first gesture, that very first action is often the most important and authentic.
Being careful with the first mark and with every step ensures that her final work is perfect. Due to the Bosnian War, Maja fled Bosnia along with her mother when she was nine years old spending 3 years in refugee camps, and moving from Slovenia to the United States through Austria and Germany. This turmoil and confusion at a young age and her experience in the refugee camps greatly influenced both her work and also the way in which she relates with and observes people. She tries to maintain a level of uncensorship and sincerity in her work.
