Maria Saleh Mahameed lives and works in Ein Mahel. Harking back to her birthplace’s name, Umm Al-Fahm (mother of coal), she incorporates the use of charcoal in her practice as a way of using native materials and honoring the local trade. 

Her work is fundamentally rooted in her national and religious identity being raised in a mixed Christian-Ukrainian/Muslim-Palestinian family and her life under occupation. The themes that preoccupy her range from intimate experiences such as pregnancy, childbirth, motherhood, and loss, to her family history and the social, political, and historical elements characteristic within Palestinian society. She holds an M.Ed and B.Ed in Art, both from Oranim College.