Mariah Majakey is a visual artist who specializes in oil painting and explores different blends between realism and abstraction. Mariah became interested in generalized fine art as a pre-teen through helping her stepmother, a photographer, with  photoshoots, but doubted to consider it as a serious walk of life. When she first explored painting in 2015, Majakey was interested in the human body juxtaposed against natural landscapes. Having been brought up in West Virginia, a connection is shared between herself, Appalachian artists, and the grounding influence of nature; in her practice she had originally sought to emphasize the relationship between our natural environment and femininity. While strengthening the confidence to self-express through visual art, she experimented with different mediums and eventually obtained a BFA in painting from WVU’s College of Creative Arts. Through a community of supportive visual artists and mentors in West Virginia, Mariah has so far presented artworks in creative magazines, literary publications, art salons, online and regional exhibitions, and city arts walks. While themes of mental health, vulnerability, sentimentality, and nostalgia are prevalent, Mariah continuously explores new concepts and technical skills to absorb into her practice.