Born in Ukraine, Maria Cherkasskaya graduated from Kiev School of Fine Arts and received her degree in book design and illustration from Ukrainian State University of Fine Arts.

For almost 20 years, she had worked as a Film Art Director at Ukranimafim -- a renowned animation studio in Kiev. There she had created characters, storyboards and backgrounds for 12 animation films, many of which had received national and international awards. She is a member of Ukrainian Cinematographers Guild.

During those years, Maria also worked as a freelance illustrator and book designer. Her illustrations appeared in numerous children's books and magazines.

From the beginning of her career as an illustrator, she has dealt with a wide variety of literary genre, such as film scripts, editorials, drama and humor, poetry and prose, literature for adults and children alike. Her flexible style is a sensitive tool that she uses to analyze deeply the writer’s idea and transfer it into emotionally charged image.

Since 1994, Maria has lived in Pittsburgh. Her illustrations were published in Pittsburgh in a number of magazines and a local newspaper. She has illustrated children’s books for Dorrance Publishing Co. and Creative Products International. She is affiliated with Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators, and is an art teacher for an after-school program.

Affiliations:
Pittsburgh Society of Illustrators