Maria Vergara headshot

Maria Vergara

Painter
2012 3Arts Awards
Visual Arts

Maria Astrid Vergara was born in South America and immigrated to the United States at the age of 12. Her mom sensed her passion for art in middle school and enrolled her in classes at the prestigious School of the Art Institute of Chicago, where she would later, in 2009, earn her MFA in painting and drawing. After studying abroad in Rome and traveling throughout Europe, she eventually settled in Oak Park, IL where she lives with her husband and stepson. She works out of her art studio in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood, where she continues to work on new projects covering topics ranging from social justice to glamour, luxury and culture. 

Profile image by: Maria Vergara

Featured Artworks

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Candid painting of Mike Grosso Oil on Canvas, 11” W x 14” W. 2020 Maria Vergara Oil on canvas
  •  Maria Vergara artwork Princes Grace Rhinestones on Panel, 8.5” W x 10.3” H x 1.8” D. Private Collection . Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde This piece was named after Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco. I named them after a specific Monarchy based on how the rhinestones end up shaped..
  •  Maria Vergara artwork Queen Alexandra of Denmark Rhinestones and jewelry on Panel, 8.5” W x 10.3” H x 1.9” D Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde Queen Alexandra of Denmark was known for her tall and slender figure. I decided to make this rhinestone piece with long earrings as a symbol of her long neck.
  •  Large painting showing a big cosmic explosion, made out of iridescent acrylic paints, with deities riding a chariot and Hindu Gods creating the cosmos. Intergalactic Deities Oil, Acrylic and Rhinestones on canvas.90 W x 69 H x 1.8 D in Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde Hindu Deities floating in the Cosmos with Astronauts.
  •  Maria Vergara artwork Bear Rug Oil on Canvas, 14"H x 14" W x 2" D. Private Collection Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde Part of the Luxury Interior series.
  •  Maria Vergara artwork Duchess Rhinestones and jewelry on Panel, 14”W x 16”H. Private Collection Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde

    Rhinestone series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Faustina Rhinestones and Rhinestone jewelry on Panel, 11.5” W x 14.3” H x 2” D. Private Collection of David Disch and Amy Dahlem Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde

    Rhinestone series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Tuscan Villa Oil on Canvas Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde Part of the Luxury Interior Series.
  •  Maria Vergara artwork The Cube No.1 Rhinestones on a wooden cube Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde

    Rhinestone series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork The Peacock Rhinestones on Panel, 6x6x2 Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde

    Rhinestone series

  •  Three canvases with different facial expressions of my stepson.  I took the images from his school pictures.  He was not very ahppy about taking his school photo and the facial expressions are really unique.  So I decided to paint them. Dylan in a colonial Wig Oil on Canvas Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde

    Face Time series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Emmet Till being taken at gun point during the night. Gouache on Paper Photo Credit: Maria Vergara

    From the Emmett Till series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Emmett Till Before and After Gouache on Paper Photo Credit: Maria Vergara

    From the Emmett Till series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Emmett Till's funeral at the Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ Gouache on Paper Photo Credit: Maria Vergara

    Emmett Till's series.

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Maria Yawning after arriving at the Black and White benefit, with Camilla Parker Bowels and Prince Charles Gouache and watercolor pencils on paper. Photo Credit: Maria Vergara

    Celebrity photobombing series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Me: Crashing at Camilla Parker Bowles' visit to the Children's Hospital Acrylic and watercolor pencils on paper. Photo Credit: Maria Vergara

    Celebrity photobombing series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Yves St. Laurent Study Room Oil on Canvas 8”W x 10”H x 0.1”D. 2015. Private Collection Photo Credit: Maria Vergara

    Luxury interiors series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Yves St. Laurent Dining room Oil on Canvas 8”W x 10”H x 0.1”D. 2015. Private Collection. Photo Credit: Maria Vergara

    Luxury interiors series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Scandinavian Feast Oil on Canvas with Gold Flakes. 90 W x 69 H x 1.8 D in Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde

    Royal interior series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Too much Armor for this glamour. Oil on Canvas. 2012 Private Collection Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde

    Royal interiors series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork The Parlor Room Oil on Canvas, 3”H x 4” W x 3” D. 2009 Photo Credit: Maria Vergara

    Royal interior series

  •  Maria Vergara artwork Gladiators Oil on Canvas. Private Collection Photo Credit: Maria Vergara
  •  Maria Vergara artwork The Queen in Space being consumed by a black hole. Oil and Acrylic on Canvas with Rhinestones Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde
  •  Maria Vergara artwork Royal Wax sculptures Oil on Canvas Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde
  •  Maria Vergara artwork Roman bath house Oil on Canvas with Gold flakes. Photo Credit: Tom Van Eynde

Maria Vergara has crowd-funded a project with 3AP

  • Rhinestones

    • $3,752 raised of $2,000 goal
    • 0 Days 0:00:00 LEFT
      • 3Arts matched
      • 188% funded

    For the past five years I’ve been working with rhinestones to create mixed media artwork. Now, with this project, I am producing these pieces on a grander scale with much larger wooden panels. My rhinestone artwork is inspired by my …

    Read more about Rhinestones