Film and animation cells inspired some of his early work, a series of intricate cut-paper stencils, several of which are displayed in the gallery. Working with Mr. DeMaria, students learned how to make their own cut-paper creations, a technique that requires considerable patience and a steady hand with an Exacto knife.
More recently, he has been creating a series of finely detailed ink and pencil drawings that illustrate a personal mythology of fantastical creatures inspired by Norse folklore and the Dungeons and Dragons game. Mr. DeMaria is also a musician and sound is an element in some of his work, and the exhibit includes a microphone to record an audio guest book. You can read some student reflections on his Mr. DeMaria’s art on the BCDS mashUp.
Mr. DeMaria majored in studio art at Vassar College, and earned a post-baccalaureate certificate at Brandeis University and an M.F.A. in painting at the Massachusetts College of Art. He is currently teaching printmaking and drawing at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, and a class in “Painting By Unconventional Means” at the Rhode Island School of Design. His next artist residency will take him to Turku, Finland, later this year. His work has been exhibited in galleries nationally. He lives and works in South Boston.