Join IMUR Gallery for a complimentary Meet & Greet Breakfast Seminar with Maria Hoo, presented in collaboration with Studio Allestra. This intimate educational event introduces artists to the world of art licensing, commercial art, and the home décor market, offering insight into how artwork can move beyond original sales into publishing, wall décor, and product-based opportunities.
Maria Hoo is an internationally recognized commercial art executive, creative strategist, and home décor industry expert with decades of experience in art licensing, publishing, product development, trend direction, and artist portfolio development. Through this seminar, Maria will share her perspective on how the home décor industry works, what artists should understand about licensing, and why this field can offer an important career pathway for artists seeking long-term growth.
The seminar is designed for art students, emerging artists, mid-career artists, and established creatives, including painters, photographers, illustrators, digital artists, and graphic designers. Attendance at the seminar does not require participation in the Masterclass. Artists may attend simply to learn, ask questions, meet Maria Hoo, and explore whether this field aligns with their professional goals.
About the Masterclass
This is a four-part professional development program led by Maria Hoo and co-hosted by Studio Allestra and IMUR Gallery.
The Masterclass is designed for artists who wish to develop a deeper understanding of art licensing, commercial partnerships, portfolio positioning, market trends, royalties, and the international home décor industry. Open to fine artists, painters, illustrators, photographers, graphic designers, and digital artists.
Artist Pathway
Artists, including illustrators, fine artists, painters, photographers, graphic designers, and creatives working in any medium are encouraged to attend the complimentary Meet & Greet Seminar on September 26, 2026.
After the seminar, artists who wish to pursue advanced training may choose to submit their portfolios through ShowSubmit for review.
Maria Hoo will review the submitted portfolios and identify artists who may benefit from the full Masterclass. Selected artists will receive a private invitation to participate in the four-part Zoom Masterclass, taking place November 7–8 and November 14–15, from 10:00 AM–12:00 PM ET.
Your Journey
Attend the complimentary Meet & Greet Seminar at Imur Gallery
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Meet Maria Hoo & learn about licensing industry and opportunities
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After the seminar, private invitation will be sent to interested artists to submit your portfolio through ShowSubmit.
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Portfolio review by Maria Hoo
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Selected artists will be invited to join the November 2026 Masterclass.
Submission and participation are for educational purposes only. Portfolio submission does not guarantee selection, critique, representation, publication, sales, licensing opportunities, employment, or commercial placement.
The Business Of Art & Home Décor:
Art Licensing & Portfolio Positioning Masterclass
Complimentary Meet & Greet Seminar Details
Date: September 26, 2026
Breakfast Begins: 10:00 AM ET
Seminar Begins: 11:00 AM ET
Location: IMUR Gallery 67 Greene St. Jersey City NJ
Format: In person + Zoom livestream
In-Person Capacity: 30 guests
Run of Show
10:00–10:30 AM | Welcome Breakfast
Guests arrive, check in, enjoy breakfast and coffee, and settle in. Zoom participants may begin logging in during this window.
10:30–11:00 AM | Introduction By Stella Chang
Stella will share her fashion background and how she came to work with licensing artist for product design and development.
11:00–11:45 AM | Educational Presentation
Maria will share her professional journey, introduce artists to the world of art licensing, offer a broad industry perspective, and explain how licensing can support artists in expanding their careers beyond original artwork sales.
11:45 AM–12:00 PM | Q&A
12:00 PM–1 PM | November Masterclass Overview
Networking & Closing
Ivy and Stella explains what the November Masterclass will cover, including the portfolio submission process, Maria’s review and jurying process, key deadlines, registration steps, and what selected artists can expect when invited to participate.
Featured Speaker
Maria Hoo is a veteran commercial art executive, creative strategist, and trend forecasting advisor with over 28 years of experience in the global wall art and home décor industry. She has served as Vice President of Creative within one of the industry’s major international wall art publishing companies, where she played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s global market presence while cultivating long-standing relationships with manufacturers, retailers, and home décor buyers. Maria has also served as Creative Director of one of North America’s multiple award winning home decor and frame manufacturers.
Throughout her career, Maria has curated the development of best selling commercial artworks and framed art products, contributing to millions of dollars in wall art sales. Her expertise spans branding, commercial art direction, trend forecasting, artist development, licensing strategy, and product positioning across the mass market, furniture, and mid-to-high-end home décor sectors. She has also been recognized by the prestigious ART Awards with nominations for Product Designer of the Year and Best Wall Art Collection for her creative leadership and influence within the home décor industry.
Global manufacturers and commercial art partners seeking emerging artistic trends, commercially viable artwork, and curated collections for the home décor market, are influenced by Maria’s creativity and innovation Her rare ability to bridge art with commercial strategy including combining aesthetics, trend intelligence, branding, consumer psychology, and market positioning; has helped shape trend-forward collections and launch the careers of numerous artists whose work has successfully sold within the global licensing and home décor industry under her creative direction.
Endorsement
“As a manufacturer and distributor in the high-end art reproduction marketplace, I am constantly searching for talented artists to represent. However, promising partnerships often stall because artists fear losing their autonomy and control over their work.
Maria Hoo’s masterclass is the exact solution our industry needs. Because Maria has deep experience on both sides of the creative equation, she uniquely understands how to bridge this gap.
This course shows artists how to safely leverage their talent for a lifetime of reward, while giving them the confidence to collaborate with businesses like mine. For any artist looking to turn their creativity into a thriving, secure business, Maria's masterclass is a game-changer.”
“Maria Hoo is a master at identifying and curating unique wall art and decor created by independent, undiscovered artists and studios. She understands the strategies and teaches hidden talent how to create commercially viable home fashion while balancing visual storytelling with market trends. I know first-hand how her kind and respectful way encourages artists to think about a broader, sustainable career.”
“I have had the pleasure of knowing Maria for many years. She was among the first to recognize the potential in my photographic work and encourage me to explore opportunities in the commercial art market.
Throughout our longtime creative association, I have been continually impressed by her expertise in trend forecasting, artist development, and her expertise in creating successful collections for the home décor industry. Maria has a remarkable ability to recognize artistic talent and connect that talent with real market opportunities.
The Business of Art & Home Décor Masterclass is exactly the kind of practical, industry-focused education artists need to better understand and succeed in the commercial art, licensing, publishing, and home décor marketplace. I wholeheartedly endorse both Maria and this outstanding program.”
“I have had the pleasure of working with Maria for over 10 years, and in recent years, even more closely in my role as Director of Product Development at Streamline Art. Over that time, I have consistently valued her expertise, insight, and deep understanding of both the creative and commercial sides of the wall art and home décor industry.
Her knowledge also helps guide key product decisions, including the appropriate finishes, materials, and formats for the artwork we bring to market. I greatly value her perspective and her ability to connect runway and home décor trends back to art, along with her understanding of what is happening in the world and how it influences what people want to bring into their homes. T
hat kind of knowledge is incredibly important when building art collections that are not only visually compelling, but also relevant, marketable, and meaningful to today’s customer. In the wall art and home décor space, success is not only about creating and selecting beautiful art it is about understanding how story, trend, color, mood, and consumer behavior all work together to shape a collection that resonates in the marketplace.
Maria brings a rare combination of creative instinct, trend awareness, and commercial strategy, and I believe artists would gain valuable insight from learning how to apply those principles to their own work and portfolios. Above all, Maria genuinely cares about the success of her clients and is committed to helping them understand the industry in a way that supports long-term growth and success.”
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