Born and bred from a family of diverse artists, Maria Renaud grew up in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Her family is descended from Portuguese nobility. Her great grandmother had studied with the princess daughter of the Portuguese Emperor Dom Pedro I when he moved the Portuguese throne to Brazil in 1807. Her grandfather owned a French bookstore in Manaus of which the elite at that time (from the Amazon rubber boom) was his principal customers.
Having studied at Bennett University in Rio, Maria is gifted as a Portrait Artist and has gained extensive experience by working in the Brazilian Mint. Her brother Bosco Renaud (world-renowned intaglio and watermark specialist) also worked there and for Crane & Company (the supplier for United States currency). They consulted on the new United States $100 bill which culminated in her meticulous drawing of Benjamin Franklin for the coveted watermark.
Maria’s art has culminated in many travels as she was invited to exhibit her work in Monaco at La Maison de L’Amerique Latine and has created several personal portraits including one which resulted in her traveling to Beijing at the invite of one of the richest men in China.
Having traveled to many different countries and speaking four languages she has seen much beauty in the world but the most unique is the mystery of the face and how it portrays the depth and spirit of each person. This has become her forte and resulted in a series of art entitled “Breakthrough” which includes ordinary people that did extraordinary deeds, inventions, and art that contributed greatly to the world. She also has an art project entitled “Legends” which consists of acrylic paintings of various pop stars.