Born in China, Maggie Cao exhibited a love of drawing from a young age and took drawing lessons. She studied journalism in college and earned a Master's degree in Mass Communications from the University of South Carolina in 2000. After working at Johns Hopkins University, Maggie took up painting full-time in 2006.
Her art education in oil painting started in the Art Center at Hopkins, and included one year full-time study of traditional oil painting methods, sculpture, watercolor and anatomy at the Schuler School of Fine Arts in Baltimore, many courses with the Continuing Studies in Maryland Institute College of Art, and workshops with a number of nationally known artists.
In 2007, Maggie was awarded First prize in portraiture and Third prize in landscape in the Artist’s Magazine student competition. In 2009, she was selected to be in the "Rising Stars: 10 artists to watch" show in the McBride Gallery, Annapolis. She was also a finalist in Raymar Art Contest in August, 2009.
In 2010, Maggie was juried into the American Impressionist Society National Show, and named a finalist in the Artist's Magazine Art Competition in the portraiture and still-life categories. She also won Second place in Havre de Grace Plein Air Painting Competition and Third Place in Mountain Maryland Plein Air Competition that year.
Maggie's still-life painting was juried into the OPA National Show in 2012. Another still-life painting was juried into the OPA Eastern Regional Show in 2013. Her portrait painting "Lady in Whilte" was juried into the OPA National Show in 2016.
The artist currently shows her paintings at McBride Gallery in Annapolis. She lives with her husband and her son in Baltimore County, Maryland.
Education:
BA, Northwest University, China, 1994
MA, University of South Carolina, 2000
Art Training, Schuler School of Fine Arts, May 2007-May 2008
