A woman with blonde hair and glasses sitting on a dark green couch, laughing and smiling, with her legs extended and resting on the back of the couch. She is wearing a green patterned jacket, light blue jeans, and pink sneakers with green stripes. The background features an abstract, colorful mural with shades of orange, purple, pink, and black.

Hi, I’m Maria Harding — an artist and designer based in Sydney. I create joyful works inspired by nature, colour interplay, a love of whimsy and connecting people through art.

With a Fine Art background and over 25 years in design, I blend both worlds; painting (digitally and traditionally), illustrating children’s books, and creating abstract paintings that bring colour and energy into homes.

As a Senior Graphic Designer and Art Director, I bring a calm, can-do approach to helping organisations tell their stories through compelling visual design. My career has taken me from art directing at Interior Design magazines, designing children’s books, leading creative at Hotel Chocolat (UK), to campaigns for Torrens University and marketing design at AFTRS, Australia's national screen and broadcast school.

I specialise in branding and identity, digital-first campaigns, publications, interiors and design that pushes beyond neutrals for high-impact, attention grabing designs. What drives me is combining artistic vision with strategic thinking, and creating work that connects, engages and inspires.

Clients

AFTRS, Blue Mountains City Council, Liechhardt Council, Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA), Simon & Schuster, Weldon Owen. Cambridge University, Fairfax, OPSM, Dyson, Nike, Torrens University, Billy Blue College of Design, Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School, Luxottica, Mumbrella, Hotel Chocolat, ACP Magazines, Saatchi & Saatchi, BBC.