I am Maria Vilja, illustrator, children's author and art educator with background in social work. I'm inspired by all kinds of interesting people, nature, adventures and colours, just to mention something. I love drawing and writing and I hope that this joy reaches the people that see my work. My wish is that people find comfort and refreshment in my art.

Picture by Johanna Mantere

CONTACT

Maria Vilja, 1986
maria.vilja(a)gmail.com,
+358503550272

​EDUCATION
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Master's Degree, 2018
Aalto University, School of Arts,
Design and Architecture,
​Department of Art

Bachelor of Social Services, 2010
Diaconia University of Applied Sciences

RECOGNITIONS

Shortlisted for children’s and youth literatures’s Finlandia-prize by Finnish Book Foundation 2024 (Kesän ainoa kaunis päivä)
Shortlisted for Beautiful Book Prize by Finnish Book Art Committee  2023 (Villikissareppu)
Shortlisted for Beautiful Book Prize by Finnish Book Art Committee 2022 (Näkymätön reppu)
Winner of Punni-prize by Finnish Institute for Children's Literature 2020 (Eeva ja Harmaakaapu written by Maria Lassila)


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