Hi I’m Maria Fraaije, a Dutch illustrator/artist.
I love drawing your ideas in atmospheric images that are full of feeling.
Past clients have been the Hermès Paris, de Correspondent, de NRC, TU Delft, Erasmus University, DRIFT, Stichting Wij.Land, the RVO, the VNG, and others.
With an MSc in Industrial Ecology and 5 years of experience working as a sustainability consultant/researcher at DRIFT, I love illustrating your reports, presentations and projects in drawings that are suitable for a professional audience and yet full of feeling.
Alongside commissioned work, I have an autonomous practice, wherein I see drawing as a way of having attention for the world around us. I’ve been granted the Talent Development Practice Fund from the Creative Industries Fund, have been the City Artist of Rotterdam, exhibited drawings in the Kunsthal, Le Guess Who and in Museum de Fundatie Zwolle.
Get in touch:
Exhibitions
Drawing Closer, Royal Drawing School, London | 2026
Portrait of a Small Landscape (book), TENT, Rotterdam | 2025
Stimuleringsfonds Presents Talent, Dutch Design Week, Eindhoven | book, drawings, 2024
De Energie van het Oude Westen | Park West, Rotterdam | research, illustrations, 2024
De Kunsthal Rotterdam | Getekend: Rotterdam, ze hebben mijn huis vermoord | animation, drawings, 2023
Museum de Fundatie | Ongehoorde Geluiden | animation, drawings, 2022
Le Guess Who Utrecht | Ongehoorde Geluiden | animation, 2022
Bibliotheek Utrecht | Ongehoorde Geluiden | animation, drawings, 2022
De Leidse Sterrewacht | Museumnacht Leiden | animation, 2015
Press
“Maria Fraaije: Student Story” | Royal Drawing School | 2025
“Met deze beelden moet de energietransitie meer divers en inclusief worden” | NRC | 2022
“Help mijn huis wordt vermoord: Rotterdam verandert maar door” | Volkskrant | 2022
Education
2025 Online Drawing Development Year, Royal Drawing School, UK
2015-2017 MSc Industrial Ecology, TU Delft, Netherlands
2011-2015BSc Biomedical Science, Leiden University, Netherlands
Prizes and grants
2023 Building Talent: basic funding for practice development | Creative Industries Fund
2022 City Artist Rotterdam | City archive Rotterdam, Centre of Visual Arts Rotterdam (CBK), Kunsthal Rotterdam
2022 Bouwen aan Talent met Huis van Betekenis | Creative Industries Fund
2021 Beeldkracht: beeldbank voor een inclusieve energietransitie | Creative Industries Fund