Maria Oliveira

Your series is inspired by ancient Basque witch lore and sacred plants. What drew you to these themes, and how do they resonate with you personally?

Growing up in the Basque Country, I was surrounded by stories of the “Sorginak”, our witches, who felt like guardians of the land. They were strong, free, and tied to nature, and their tales, told against the backdrop of the beautiful mountains in the region, are part of who I am. I’m also fascinated by mythology and shamanism from all over—Nordic, African, Amazonian to name a few—and the sacred plants like Datura, Henbane, Belladonna, Amanita Muscaria, and Ayahuasca, among others that show up in their rituals. These plants, used by either by European healers or shamans worldwide, grab me because they’re beautiful but dangerous, almost as if they hold secrets. They feel personal, like they mirror my own mix of strength and softness, my need to find something sacred in wild, messy places. This series is my way of connecting to my Basque roots while celebrating the spiritual ties that link people everywhere. It’s about honoring the land I come from and the bigger human story that I feel in my heart every time I pick up my camera.

How do you choose which plant or mythical story to visualize in each piece?

Picking a plant or story feels like listening to a quiet voice inside me, shaped by my love for myths from different cultures. I spend time thinking about the Sorginak’s stories—maybe a witch dancing under the moon—or learning about rituals from places like Peru or Siberia. A plant calls out when it feels alive: Datura’s spooky flowers for dreamy vibes, Henbane for something darker, or Ayahuasca for vivid, mind-opening feelings. I match them with stories that fit—a Basque witch flying amidst the clouds might go with Belladonna’s scary beauty, or a shaman’s spirit journey might feel right with Amanita Muscaria’s bright red cap. I picture how clouds, all colorful and swirly, can make the image feel trippy, like the plant’s effects. It’s a gut thing, trusting that the right plant or myth will find me, whether it’s from my Basque background or the worldwide traditions I love learning about. Each choice is like a step deeper into the magic I want to share.

Maria Oliveira | The Protector (Sage) | 2024

Each composition is a self-portrait. What role does your physical presence play in the storytelling process?

In every self-portrait, my body tells the story, carrying the Sorgina’s strength or the plants’ wild energy. Self-portraits aren’t easy, so I often shoot lots of photos of myself and piece them together in Photoshop to get the pose or look just right. I’m not just in the picture—I’m part of the myth, my hands holding Datura’s flowers or my body blending into Ayahuasca’s parallel realities. By putting myself in these trippy, cloud-filled scenes, I make the stories feel real and personal, like I’m living them. I’m the link between the human world and the magic of these ancient tales, inviting people to feel the same wonder I do through my presence.

What emotions or inner states are you trying to capture in your digitally composed worlds?

I want my images to feel alive with big emotions: wonder for the sacred, joy in connecting to something bigger, and the excitement of changing inside. My love for mythologies from different places inspires me to capture the awe of a Sorgina’s ritual or the wild, profound and intense spiritual experience of an Ayahuasca trip. I want the viewer to feel the pull of wanting something deeper, the thrill of stepping into a new world, and the quiet strength of being true to your wild side. These images are like my heart on display, showing my own journey through the bright, magical worlds of human stories from all over.

Maria Oliveira | La Yerba Del Diablo (Datura) | 2024

Could you describe your creative process from the initial concept to the final composite?

My process is like a big, colorful journey, mixing camera work with a kind of spiritual search. It starts with a feeling—maybe a Sorgina story, a Siberian shaman’s song, or the way Datura’s petals catch the light. Walking alone in nature helps me come up with ideas, and I draw quick sketches to plan how the image would look like.

I always start with the background, where usually I set the scene and once that’s completed, in the studio at home, II proceed to shoot my self-portraits which very often I have to composite them later to get the right vibe. Finally, I put it all together, layering my body with the background and I play with colors, make shadows darker, and tweak the light until the image feels alive, like a mix of magic and spiritual energy.

Photoshop plays a central role in your work. What does digital compositing allow you to express that photography alone cannot?

Photography is amazing for capturing a single moment, like freezing a piece of the world in time, but Photoshop’s digital compositing lets me build entire imaginary worlds that come straight from my heart and mind. It’s like having a magic wand to create scenes that feel alive with emotion and wonder, going way beyond what a camera can catch in one shot. Self-portraits are tough, so I often take several photos of myself and stitch them together in Photoshop to get the exact pose or expression I need to tell the story. I can blend my body with different elements and setting them against vibrant backgrounds  that add a dreamy, colorful energy to the scene.

This process lets me create images that feel like they’re from a myth or a fairy tale. I can place myself in a glowing, misty scene or make it look like I’m standing in a vivid, cloud-filled sky. My backgrounds aren’t just there for looks—they bring a sense of movement and feeling, inspired by the stories and traditions I love studying from cultures all over the world. With Photoshop, I can make the contrast between light and dark really stand out, creating deep, moody shadows that feel full of mystery and bright, glowing colors that pop with life.

Maria Oliveira | Yage The Vine Of The Soul | 2024

Your visuals are both dark and luminous. How do you balance mysticism and beauty in your imagery?

My work thrives in the interplay of darkness and light; a visual language rooted in chiaroscuro. This technique—where deep shadows embrace luminous highlights—shapes the delicate balance of mysticism and beauty in my imagery, conjuring an ethereal world that feels both haunting and divine.

The dark shadows add a sense of the unknown, suggesting hidden stories drawn from the myths I love studying from cultures around the world, sparking curiosity about what lies beneath. Meanwhile, the glowing light brings out a warm, vibrant beauty that feels alive and inviting. I craft glowing, colorful backgrounds in Photoshop that burst with vivid hues, adding a lively, almost magical energy that makes the scenes feel dynamic and enchanting. Each image is designed to sit between these two moods—partly wrapped in shadow to hint at the mysteries of nature and folklore, and partly illuminated with rich, vibrant color to draw you in with its charm. This balance invites viewers to explore the wonder of the world through my art.