Hello there! My name is Maria Darwish. I'm an architect by study, interior designer by profession, muralist and illustrator at heart - based in Cairo, Egypt. I'm most passionate about painting funky murals. It's been said that my work is whimsical, colorful and dreamy. My portfolio on this website includes murals, art commissions, art prints, and a few merch products. I hope to keep evolving along my artistic journey; to grow my creative community, my forms of expression and my empathy.

Some of the organizations I've worked with are: Al Ismailia Real Estate Development, Costa Coffee, El Hazek Construction, the Egyptian National Post Museum, Dara's Ice Cream, Global Brands Group, amongst others. If you have any business inquiries please get in touch via email: darwishastudio@gmail.com, or fill the contact us form :)

did you study / what did you study?

I have a Bachelor of Science, majoring in Architectural Engineering from the American University in Cairo.

do I need a degree to become an artist?

I don’t believe artists need a degree in a career that is based on creative endeavor and self expression. I am happy that I have a degree in architecture, because it taught me good soft skills an a lot of resilience - it built in me persistence, ability to work under pressure, dealing with creative block, and conceptualization. Institutional settings for learning are helpful in forming networks you wouldn't typically have, and they provide a bigger work space and facilities to practice your creativity. But it’s also very stressful, and frankly unnecessarily expensive.

how did you find your style / how can I find mine?

Developing my style has and will be an ever evolving journey. I just paint according to my intuition and feeling. I don’t regard myself as having a specific style. But I have heard from people that my work is generally very colorful and whimsical. I wouldn’t want to feel confined in a style though - there's always something new to try.

how did you get into illustrations and murals?

With murals, someone trusted me with a wall, and the rest was history. The bigger commissions started after I won a mural competition and executed it, and then it’s word of mouth and largely also social media presence. With illustration, I’ve been painting since the age of two, because I have a very artistic family. It runs in my blood. I started posting my work at the age of 16 and then it grew from there, thanks to instagram as a platform, and a very supportive community.  

what do I do if there is a problem with my order?

Please send an email with your order number (you can find this in your email confirmation) and a description of the issue to darwishastudio@gmail.com and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

how often do you ship orders?

We ship orders once every 2-3 weeks. 

how long does shipping usually take?

It usually takes 14 days for prints and products if they’re available in stock. If something is made to order, it takes 21 days. Original commissioned paintings take 3-4 weeks, and murals depend on size and detail and availability in our schedule.

I put in the wrong address or item, can I have a refund?

Unfortunately we cannot take responsibility for the input of incorrect information, or if you suddenly decide you don’t like the product. As a small business we can't afford to do so. We only refund if there is something wrong with the item, like broken frame glass or tinted product. 

can I message you?

We love feedback! And we love to see the artwork placed in your spaces! Please do send pictures or share them on your social media. Every little act of support counts and keeps us going. 

does the image on your site accurately represent what I will be sent?

We strive for a high degree of image accuracy. The artwork is accurate, however the frames are similar to the ones used, but they are mockups, so the shade of wood or the thickness of the frame may vary slightly. Typically the frame thickness is 1.5 - 2 cm depending on frame size.