Maria Laura
Bratoz

"For me, naive painting has always been synonymous with joy. I like to tell little stories about simple characters in a composition that reflects the everyday joy of life, and ordinary everyday jobs and occupations. Humor is important in my work, and it is what defines each of the situations shown in the painting. My best resources are the cute animals and pets that make all the playfulness in the scene. All of the characters and situations I create are immersed in a detailed script where miniature figures perform small actions, and all together make up a magical plot that draws the observer in and invites them to keep watching and discovering something new."

1958 Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Studied architecture
1992 Beginning of an artistic career.
1993 Moving to Porta Santa Cruz, Patagonia, Argentina.
1999 Moved to Puerto Madryn, Cubut, Argentina.
Self-taught artist

Personal exhibitions
1998 Eduardo Minicelli Art Museum, Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz.
1999 Book Fair, Gaiman Chubut, Buenos Aires
1999 Eduardo Minicelli Art Museum, Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz.
1999 Municipal Art Museum, Puero Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
1999 FUNDACRUZ Cultural Center, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2000 Oceanographic Museum, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
2001 Traveling Exhibition of the Consulates of Argentina, Salto, Uruguay
2001 ECOCENTRO, Purto-Madrin, Chubut, Argentina
2001 Eduardo Minicelli Art Museum, Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz.
2002 Italian Society Auditorium, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
2002 Government House, Rawson, Chubut, Argentina
2003 Municipal Art Museum, Puero Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
2003 FUNDACRUZ Cultural Center, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2003 Condor Estancia, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2004 FUNDACRUZ Cultural Center, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2004 Condor Estancia, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2005 Condor Estancia, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2006 Condor Estancia, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2006 Fundacruz, Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2006 EcoCentro, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
2006 Estancia Condor, Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz
2007 Condor Estancia, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2007 Puerto Madrina Museum, Patagonia, Argentina.


Group exhibitions
1997 Chubut Province House, Buenos Aires
1997 Río Gallegos Cultural Center, Santa Cruz, Argentina
1998 National Senate Hall, Buenos Aires
1998 Metropolitan Museum of Art, Buenos Aires.
1999 International Congress on the Law of the Sea, Puero Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
2000 SAAP, Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2003 Patagonia Southern University Library San Juan Bosco, Río Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina
2003 Artists Cultural Center, La Boca, Buenos Aires
2004 Expotrastienda 2004, Buenos Aires
2004 1st International Salon Piccolo Formato, Castelvedro, Modena, Italy
2004 "Biblical World", GINA Gallery of International Naïve Art, Tel Aviv.
2006 "Tales of the Tango, Gaucho Tropes: The Naivety of Argentina," GINA Gallery of International Naive Art, Tel Aviv.
2006 1st International Biennale of Naive Art Castelvetro, Modena, Italy
2007 Ruka Art, Lapland, Finland
2007 Galeria Eboli, Madrid
2007 "Simple Pleasures, Days Gone By: The Naivities of Brazil and Argentina," GINA Gallery of International Naive Art, Tel Aviv.
2009 Women of Color, Israeli Opera Theater, Tel Aviv.

Prizes
1992 Selected Artist, San Martin Cultural Center, Buenos Aires.
1993 Selected Artist, Galeria Dimension Arte, Buenos Aires.
1993 Selected Artist, Cultura Patagonico, Pto San Julian, Santa Cruz, Argentina.
1994 Honorable Mention, Salon de Teatro Comandante Luis Piedrabuena, Santa Cruz
1994 Selected Artist, Municipal Salon Pintura de Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina.
1994 Selected Artist, 3rd Salon Galeria de arte Tokio, Buenos Aires.
1995 Jury Mention, 4th Municipal Painting Hall of Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina
1995 Jury Mention, 5th Annual Hall of Naïve Art, Buenos Aires
1995 Special Jury Mention, 10th Annual Salon of Naïve Art, Buenos Aires
1996 Selected Artist, 1st Nave Biennale, Museum of the Romulo Raggio Foundation, Buenos Aires
1996 Selected Artist, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Buenos Aires.
1996 Special Jury Mention, National Hall of Naïve Art, Grand Prix Henri Rousseau, Buenos Aires
1997 3rd prize, 3rd collection of paintings in Patagonia, Coyaique, Chile.
1997 1st Prize, 1st Hall of Modern and Primitive Naïve Art, Museo del Roca, Buenos Aires
1997 1st prize, National Hall of Naïve Art, Grand Prize Henri Rousseau, Buenos Aires
1998 1st prize, National Hall of Naïve Art, Grand Prize Henri Rousseau, Buenos Aires
1999 2nd prize, 6th National Hall of Naïve Art, Grand Prix Henri Rousseau, Buenos Aires
1999 Selected Artist, 8th Municipal Hall of the Rio Gallegos, Santa Cruz, Argentina.
2000 1st prize, National Hall of Naïve Art, Grand Prize Henri Rousseau, Buenos Aires
2000 г. 3rd citation, 8th National Hall of Plastic Arts, Buenos Aires.
2001 1st citation, 8th National Hall of Naïve Art, Grand Prix Henri Rousseau, Buenos Aires
2002 Prize, Patronato de la Infancia, Buenos Aires
2002 1st prize

Source : www.ginagallery.com