Maja Ruznic (b. 1983 Bosnia & Hercegovina) immigrated to the United States in 1995 due to the Bosnian war. Ruznic went on to study at the University of California, Berkley (2005), later receiving an MFA from the California College of Arts (2009). She currently lives and works in Placitas, New Mexico, USA.

Ruznic draws on personal and collective memories to create works that deeply connect with human psyche. In her paintings, she allows for figures to emerge from the thin layers of oil paint she applies to the linen, the characters seemingly coalesce with their environments. She describes the process of painting as if trying to remember a dream. Throughout her practice, Ruznic deftly weaves themes of trauma and suffering with mythology and healing, softening the darker subject matter. Nostalgic and empathetic, her works ultimately speak of human experience.

Night (Dream Makers) is a jewel tone work in which figures materialize from a delineation of shapes, transpiring from deep looking. Beginning with rich pigment, she layers translucent stains, the brushstrokes of deep hue paint create a mystical quality. Ruznic expresses, ‘noticing color at night is like receiving an unexpected gift.’

Ruznic has exhibited internationally and her work has been written about extensively, most notably in Artforum, ArtMaze Magazine, Juxtapoz, San Francisco Bay Guardian, Studio Visit Magazine, and twice in New American Paintings. In 2018, Ruznic was a recipient of the Hopper Prize. In 2019, Dallas Museum of Art, TX, USA and The US Embassy in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina acquired her work for their collections. In 2021, Ruznic had her debut institutional show In the Silver of the Sun at The Harwood Museum of Art, Rosewell, NM, USA. Her work was also included in the group exhibition, Hi Woman! at the Museo di Palazzo Prato, Italy in 2021. She is currently participating in Other Worlds Than This at Nasssau County Museum of Art.