Maura Petersen

"Woman in Sunlight and Shadow" by M. Petersen - Colorful Figurative Abstract

2025

Maura Petersen, an inspired artist, was nurtured in an environment steeped in artistry, shaped by the vibrant community surrounding her father, Roland Petersen, a founding professor at the University of California Davis Art Department. Her childhood was rich in modern art influences, with sculptures and paintings by notable artists like Manuel Neri and Wayne Thiebaud gracing her family home. A pivotal sabbatical to Europe in the 1960s exposed her to the art scenes in Paris and London, where she attended lectures and marveled at masterpieces in the Louvre and other prestigious museums. Later on in her career, Maura engaged in intensive study from 2017 to 2021 at Monterey Peninsula College and Cabrillo College, focusing on Color Theory, figure drawing/painting, and Design. Her mentorship under Claire Thorson and her father helped refine her technique, focusing on contrasts in values, saturation, and spatial dynamics. Maura’s artistic medium of choice includes oils for expansive, free-form subject matter and acrylics for structured, prismatic motifs. Her works explore the interaction of the human figure with both natural and constructed environments, capturing the contrasts of light and shadow and the interplay of forms.