ABOUT ME


Hi! I’m Mariana Rio, an illustrator and picture book author living in the beautiful city of Oporto, Portugal. 

With over a decade of experience, I’m thrilled to have published more than fourteen picture books with wonderful publishers like Pato Lógico, Ediciones Mónimo, and Sexto Piso Editorial. My books have reached readers in various places, including Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, Peru, Mexico, and the USA.

I also create editorial illustrations, covers, posters, visual identities, packaging, and murals for public spaces. 

Research is fundamental to my process. I face each project as a new cycle of challenges, with the dominant unpredictability that leads me to different and unexpected directions beyond myself.

I hold a degree in Communication Design from the Faculty of Fine Arts of Oporto. Since 2018, I have been a professor of Illustration at ESAD Art + Design.

My work has been recognized namely by being twice winner at the Illustrators Exhibition Bologna Children’s Book Fair, the AOI World Illustration Awards, Nami Island International Picture Book Illustration Competition, 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration, White Ravens, CJ Picture Book Awards and the National Illustration Prize given by DGLAB. In 2021 I won the Baba Kamo Illustration Award in Valencia. I was a nominee for the ALMA prize in 2024 and 2025.
 



CLIENTS INCLUDE


Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Fundação de Serralves, Público, Visão,
Quatro Cinco Um, Silvadesigners, Adobe, Assembleia da República Portuguesa, Casa da Música, Teatro Municipal do Porto, Pato Lógico, APCC, Bas Bleu Illustration, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, B Eat, Center for Design Books,
Circo de Ideias, Edições Eterogémeas, Editorial Milrazones, Illusalon, INCM, Mistaker Maker, Mónimo ediciones, O Beija-flor, Sacoor Brothers, Sexto Piso Editorial, Significa, Slanted, Studio Dobra, UPTEC, Kalandraka.









My work has been recognized by

2025 Selected
BRAW Amazing Bookshelf - Sustainability, 17 goals for a better future. Bologna Ragazzi Awards. Bologna Children’s Book Fair


2025, 2023 Finalist
Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition. Bologna

2025, 2024 Nominated
ALMA Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, Swedish Arts Council. Sweden

2024 Selected
Ibero America Ilustra. Fundación SM. Guadalajara International Book Fair

2023, 2024 Nominee
ALMA Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, Swedish Arts Council. Sweden 

2023, 2018, 2015 Special Mention
Portuguese National Illustration Prize. Lisbon.


2023 Winners
Bologna Children’s Book Fair Landscapes and Portraits Exhibition. Bologna.

2023 Selection
BIG. Bienal Internacional de Ilustração de Guimarães. National Illustration Award BIG. Guimarães

2022 Best Illustrations. 2nd place, Best Cover Design 2nd Place, Picture Books 6 & Older Honorable Mention. Purple Dragonfly. USA

2022 Finalist
LADAWARDS. Latin American Design Awards 

2022 Selection
The Amazing Book Shelf at the BRAW, Bologna Ragazzi Award. Bologna

2022 Short-listed
Communications Arts Illustration Annual. USA.

2021 Selection
Chen Bochui International Children's Literature Award (CICLA). 'Common Journey' exhibition. Shanghai. 



2021 Winner
Baba Kamo Illustration Award. Exhibition "Babalunga i Kamolongos". BabaKamo Festival and book fair. Valencia. 


2021, 2019 Acquisition Award
BIG. Bienal Internacional de Ilustração de Guimarães. National Illustration Award BIG. Guimarães.

2019 White Ravens
Internationale Jugendbibliothek. Munique. 

2018, 2013 Winners
Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition. Bologna.

2016 Shortlisted
The AOI World Illustration Awards, London.

2015 Honourable mention
ProShow, 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration, NY.

2015 Shortlisted
Nami Concours - Nami Island International Picture Book Illustration Competition, Seoul.


2014 Selected
200 Best Illustrators worldwide 2013/2014, Lürzer’s Archive, Vienna.

2014 Honourable mention
ProShow, 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration, NY.

2013 Jury Distinction
17th Portuguese National Illustration Award. Lisbon.

2012 Merit
Children’s Illustration ProShow Annual, 3x3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration. New York City.

2012 Selected
100 Books for the Future, Bologna Children’s Book Fair Guest Country Exhibition. Bologna.

2010 Selected
Grammar of Figures, Bologna Children’s Book Fair. Bologna.

2010 Finalist
CJ Picture Book Awards, Cj Cultural Foundation. Seoul


Collective exhibitions

2024
Prémio Nacional de Ilustração. DGLAB. 
Fólio International Literary Festival of Óbidos

2024
Para o Boneco. Curated by Jorge Silva. Bairro do Grilo. Lisbon

2024
Ilustração Portuguesa. Curated by Jorge Silva and José Teófilo Braga. Portuguese Illustration Festival. Setúbal

2024
A paz, o pão, habitação, saúde, educação (Peace, Bread, Housing, Health, Education). Gallery of the Nogueira da Silva Museum. Braga. Monção House Museum. Monção

2024
Unseen Civilians: Art for Freedom Exhibition. Curated by Pictoric. Germany, France, and Portugal


2024
Hiberno. Jukebox Exhibition. A tribute to Rui Massena. Curated by Ó! Galeria. Porto

2024
Viagem à Lua. My Favorite Movie II Exhibition. A tribute to Méliès. Curated by Ó! Galeria. Porto

2024
Exhibition of illustrations from the Missão: Democracia collection, published by the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic and the Era uma Voz association.
- Casa Branca. April and May
- Lourinhã. Livros a Oeste Festival. May
- Sertã. Reading Marathon. June and July
- Vila do Conde. aMOSTr – Independent Editions Showcase. October


2024
Uma Assembleia de Assembleias Exhibition. Illustrations from the Missão: Democracia collection, published by the Portuguese Assembly of the Republic.
- LuCa. September and October
- Pim! Fólio – International Literary Festival of Óbidos

2023

BIG. Guimarães International Illustration Biennial. National Illustration Award BIG. Guimarães


2023 
Ilustração Portuguesa. Curated by Jorge Silva and José Teófilo Braga. Portuguese Illustration Festival. Setúbal

2023
Ilustre Sintra. Hipopómatos da Lua Bookstore. Sintra Municipal Library


2023
Livraria Imaginária. PIM Illustration Exhibition – To Imagine the World. Curated by Mafalda Milhões. Nova Ogiva Gallery. Literary Village of Óbidos


2023
Bologna Children’s Book Fair Landscapes and Portraits Exhibition. Bologna


2023
Pictoric. When Everything Matters. International Book Arsenal Festival. Kyiv, Ukraine

2023
Erasmus+ International Week Exhibition. ESAD Matosinhos. Screen prints by Catarina Lopes

2023
Increbible Animals. Ó! Galeria. Porto

2023
Ilustrar Malhoa 2019-2023. Fazunchar Festival. Curated by Mistaker Maker. Figueiró dos Vinhos

2023
Ilustração ao Quadrado. Luís Mendonça Illustration Collection. FBAUP. Porto


2023
Two Dollar Bill. Circus Network

2023
Bibó Porto!. Ó! Galeria. Porto

2023
Collective Ceramics Exhibition. Ó! Cerâmica. Porto

2022
22x22 - Ondina Ilustrada. Braga em Risco Festival. Casa dos Crivos. Braga

2022
Prémio Nacional de Ilustração. DGLAB. Fólio International Literary Festival of Óbidos

2022
Ilustração Portuguesa. Curated by Jorge Silva and José Teófilo Braga. Portuguese Illustration Festival. Setúbal

2022
Crescer. Exhibition. Curated by Ó! Galeria. Client: LuCA

2021

Collective ceramic exhibition. Ó! Cerâmica. Oporto, Portugal. 

2021
Collective exhibition. UIVO. Curated by Claúdia Melo. Fórum da Maia. Maia, Portugal. 

2021
Ilustração Portuguesa. Curated by Jorge Silva and José Teófilo Braga. Festa da Ilustração Portuguesa. 

2021
Selection. Chen Bochui International Children's Literature Award (CICLA). 'Common Journey' exhibition. Shanghai. 

2021
Winner. Baba Kamo Illustration Award. Exhibition "Babalunga i Kamolongos". BabaKamo Festival and book fair. Valencia. 


2021
Acquisition Award. BIG. Bienal Internacional de Ilustração de Guimarães. National Illustration Award BIG. Guimarães.

2021
Collective exhibition No man is an island, Ó! Galeria. Oporto, Portugal. 

2021
Collective exhibition Optimistics/Skeptics. Pictoric. Arsenal Book Fair. Kyiv, Ucrânia. 


2020
Collective exhibition Ilustra 33. Curated by Jorge Silva, Silva! Designers for Clube de Criativos de Portugal. ADCEUROPE. 


2020
Ilustração Portuguesa. Curated by Jorge Silva and José Teófilo Braga. Festa da Ilustração Portuguesa. 

2020
Collective exhibition. 30 Voltas ao Sol. Escola Profissional de Música. Espinho.

2020
Collective exhibition. Untitled #2020. Ó!Galeria. Oporto. Portugal 

2019
Collective exhibition. Ilustração Portuguesa. Festa da Ilustração. Setúbal.

2018
Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition Tour in Japan - Itabashi Art Museum. Tokyo.

2018
Illustrators Exhibition, Bologna Children’s Book Fair.

2018
Ilustração Portuguesa. Festa da Ilustração. Setúbal.

2018
All about your favourite movie, Ó! Galeria.

2017
By the way life it’s Wonderful, Pictoric, Kiev.

2017
Ilustração Portuguesa. Festa da Ilustração. Setúbal.

2017
Os Milagres da Santa, Circus Network, Guimarães.


2016
This is not a souvenir, Ó! Galeria, Lisbon.

2016
Ilustração Portuguesa. Festa da ilustração, Setúbal.


2015
Nami Concours Winning Works Exhibition, Nami Island, South Korea.

2015
Bibó Porto Carago!, Circus Network, Porto.

2015
Porto and Douro, Galeria Porto Cruz, Gaia.

2015
Uivo 4, Galeria Torre Lidador, Maia.


2014
Last Christmas, Ó! Galeria, Porto.

2014
Portugal Ilustrado, Ilustopia Illustration Agency, Casa do Jardim do UPTEC PINC, Porto.

2014
Outro Modo de Ler - Illustration for Books in Portugal, Galeria Municipal Almeida Garrett, Porto.

2014
Love Boat, Ó! Galeria, Porto.

2014
Ilustra 33, curated by Jorge Silva. Creative Jam, XVI Festival Clube de Criativos de Portugal, IADE, Lisbon.


2013

Bologna Children’s Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition Tour in Japan - Itabashi Art Museum (Tokyo), Otani Memorial Art Museum (Hyogo), Takahama Kawara Museum (Aichi), Ishikawa Nanao Art Museum (Ishikawa).

2013
Ilustra 33, curated by Jorge Silva. Creative Jam, XV Festival Clube de Criativos de Portugal, Central Station, Lisbon.

2013
Illustrators Exhibition, Bologna Children’s Book Fair

2012
100 Books for the Future, Bologna Children’s Book Fair

2012
PORTO, Take Away Porto e ESAD

2011
Grammar of Figures, Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Rome

2010
CJ Picture Book Awards, Cj Cultural Foundation, Seoul

2010
Illustra Teatro, Mostra Internazionale di Illustrazione per l’Infanzia di Sarmede, Vicenza

2010
16th International Illustration Competition The Cannonball Lady, Venice

2010
Grammar of Figures, Bologna Children’s Book Fair


Solo Exhibitions

2024
Transparente. Casa dos Hipopómatos. Sintra Municipal Library. Sintra

2023

Nascidos no silêncio, Ó! Galeria, Porto.

2022
Sem Medo. Biblioteca Municipal de Viana do Castelo.

2019
A casa da Doutora Farnsworth, Casa do Professor, Braga.

2019
A casa da Doutora Farnsworth, Casa da Esquina, Coimbra.


2018
A casa da Doutora Farnsworth, Livraria Circo de Ideias, Porto.

2017
A casa do senhor Malaparte, Biblioteca Municipal de Estarreja.

2017
A casa do senhor Malaparte, Biblioteca Municipal de Serpa.

2015
Imaginary Places. Ó! Galeria, Porto.

2015
A casa do senhor Malaparte, Livraria Circo de Ideias, Porto.

2014
Today’s Thought - Flash Show. Ó! Galeria, Porto.

2014
Illustration Mariana Rio, Biblioteca Municipal de Gondomar.


2013
O Quebra-Cabeças, UPTEC PINC, Porto.

2011
Illustration Mariana Rio, livraria Velhotes, Gaia.

2011
Illustration Mariana Rio, Biblioteca Municipal de Sever do Vouga.




Lecturer and professor

2018 – present
Professor, Illustration, Picturebook, Creative Writing & Storytelling. ESAD Matosinhos. 

2024
Lecturer. Pós-graduação em Ilustração. Universidade Autónoma. Lisbon

2022, 2023, 2024
Lecturer. MIEI. Fbaup. Oporto. 

2018 – 2023
Lecturer. Illustration Summer School, Oporto

2017
Lecture, Illustration, Faculdade de Belas Artes da Universidade do Oporto.


2015
Illustration course, We Came From Space, Gaia.

2015
Workshop, 8º Encontro Internacional de Ilustração, S. João da Madeira.

2015
Workshop and lecture, ENED, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro.

2014
Lecture, Post-graduate Course in Illustration and Digital Animation, ESAD, Matosinhos.

2014
Conference, O Quebra-Cabeças, the mental game in the image reading according to the illustrator's perspective. 10º Encontro Nacional de Investigação em Leitura, Literatura Infantil e Ilustração. Universidade do Minho. Braga.

2014
Workshop “Illustration with stamps”, Casa Nic e Inês, Lisboa.

2013
Lecture, ESAD, Matosinhos.

2013
Lecture and Illustration Workshop, XS Design Xpress, Universidade de Aveiro.

2013
Juri. Master in Design and Visual Culture, project/thesis in illustration, IADE, Lisbon.

2013
Lecture and Illustration Workshop, ESAD, Matosinhos.

2012
Lecture, Lusófona University, Oporto.

2012
Lecture and Illustration Workshop, ESAD, Matosinhos.


2010 – present
Regular presentations and workshops in Portuguese schools and libraries.






Website Graphic design by Ana Types Type, Photography by Álvaro Martino 
(Photography) Utopia Mural, Mariana G. Vaz; Ocean mural, Crack Kids; Espigar nas Gentes mural Miguel Oliveira; Baba Kamo and As paragens onde o tempo habita, Mariana Rio; Singular and Monólogo Wines, Telmo Sá. 



© Mariana Rio 2010-2025