Victoria – October 01, 2019

M

aritza Moran grew up in the idyllic

environs of the Hudson River Valley,

with a backyard forest to explore and

feed her imagination. She once emp-

tied a mayonnaise jar and took it into the woods to

set up a trap for fairies. In her whimsical world, all

things seemed possible.

Young Maritza was surrounded by creativity

within her family, including her mother, a painter,

and a grandmother who passed down the skills of

sewing, smocking, and Spanish lace–making. Maritza

studied fi ne art and art history at the renowned

Parsons School of Design before working as a

graphic artist—a fast-paced field where she ulti-

mately found herself realizing someone else’s vision

and never feeling satisfi ed creatively.

A chance meeting with a high school friend’s

father opened the door to a new career as a makeup

artist for fashion, fi lm, and television—a job she

pursued for a number of years, eventually leading

her to Los Angeles. Though she loved the “gypsy

life” that came with it, she found that the travel and

twelve-hour work days weren’t compatible with

motherhood once her daughter was born.

During her pregnancy, Maritza had begun

building a dollhouse, and after visiting a miniatures

Above: Micro–petit point fabrics

and lustrous threads are staples of

Maritza’s inventory. Below: It took

nine days to complete this ornate

harpsichord, from building the hous-

ing and inner workings to painting

the scene on the lid.

91 Victoria October 2019