Maria Mosquera
Illustrator and Designer

hola@mariamosquera.com

 

Since 2011, Maria has led an independent design practice, focusing on exhibition graphics, illustration, editorial design, and branding for the cultural sector. Prior to running her own firm, she served as art director at 1000 Voltios in Bogotá, Colombia, where she specialized in branding for the arts and cultural industries. Maria also held a senior graphic design role at Freeman Ryan Design in Sydney. She began her career in Canberra, working in branding, marketing, and editorial design.

Maria's client roster includes prestigious cultural institutions such as the Australian Design Centre, Botanic Gardens of Sydney, Chau Chak Wing Museum, City of Sydney, Home of the Arts (HOTA), National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of Australia, and Penrith Regional Gallery.

Awards

  • Highly commended in the IDEA - Interior Design Excellence Awards 2021 for Nicholson Galleries, CCWM

  • Winner 2019 IMAGinE Awards for Akira Isogawa

  • Winner 2019 Museum and Art Galleries Australia (MAGNA) Awards — Permanent Exhibition: Megafauna Central

  • Highly commended MAPDA awards 2019 for MAAS Magazine issue 122 — Winter 2018

  • Highly commended MAPDA awards 2018 for MAGNT Fundraising Dinner 2017 invitation

  • Winner in the Australian Interior Design Awards 2017: Installation for Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives

  • Highly Commended in the Museums and Galleries National Awards 2017 (Temporary Exhibition): Egyptian Mummies: Exploring Ancient Lives

  • Highly commended in the 2015 IMAGinE Awards for Pulp Confidential: Quick and dirty publishing from the 40s & 50s

  • Highly commended in the Australian Interior Design Awards 2013 for Into the Blue, World Heritage Exhibition

  • Illustration finalist in the Qantum Create Design Awards 2012

  • Illustration featured in Curvy 7 and Curvy 8 female artists compendiums, and in Avant Card Australia's Art Series.

  • Member of winning design team, AGDA Design Effectiveness Award 2006 for Captivating and Curious exhibition design, National Museum of Australia

 
 

What clients say

  • Candace Richards, Curator, Chau Chak Wing Museum.

    Working with Maria on museum projects is an immensely rewarding experience. Maria is an inspired designer who genuinely cares about her clients and enthusiastically engages with stakeholders to find out what makes their vision unique. Through her thoughtful and personalised approach, Maria is able to translate that vision into captivating and sensitive exhibition designs that ensure visitors have a rewarding and engaging experience at the museum. I can not wait to work with Maria again, her creativity brings an extra dimension to every exhibition and museum project she works on.

  • Lisa Cahill, CEO and Artistic Director

    Maria Mosquera is a highly skilled designer who is a joy to work with on exhibitions and publications. Maria listens carefully to client concepts eliciting the key elements and responding with creative and intelligent design that goes above and beyond expectations. In a recent project for Australian Design Centre, Maria worked in a collaborative  team alongside other designers to create a sustainable exhibition design. She seamlessly integrated her ideas with those of others to achieve an excellent outcome

  • Amy Simpson, Exhibitions Manager HOTA

    Maria is passionate about the success of our exhibitions, making the process such a delightful and rewarding experience. She develops designs that are creative, innovative and that meet the needs of our audience. At the end of each project, we always want to work with her again!

Sustainability

We believe that every time you make a decision you can make change. We consider fundamental the inclusion of sustainability as an inherent part of the design process. We focus on creating outcomes that are both beautiful and good for the planet, while we consider the environmental, social and financial impacts of our designs by:

  • Use of recyclable/certified materials,

  • Re-use and re-purpose of existing assets,

  • Use local operating production and resources

  • Design solutions that minimise waste and can be safely disposed after use

  • Consider saving energy in production processes, like consolidating elements during the production stages

  • Specific site visits to minimise pollution and travel times.

 

Vision & Values

We are art, history and story lovers. Our work is founded on understanding the crucial role graphic design plays in communication and interpretation. Our vision is to create compelling design solutions that inspire and educate.

Our values: 

  • Expertise

  • Creativity

  • Collaboration

  • Professionalism

  • Beauty