Born in Colombia, María Berrío moved to the United States during her teenage years. She pursued her formal artistic education in New York, where she continues to live and maintain her studio practice in Brooklyn.

Her signature aesthetic involves a meticulous process of cutting and tearing Japanese print paper, which she layers to create complex, dreamlike compositions. These works are often accented with watercolor and feature recurring motifs of women who engage directly with the viewer, drawing heavily from Colombian folklore and the literary tradition of magical realism.

Berrío’s practice is deeply rooted in personal and collective histories, often examining the narratives of displacement and the intersection of human experience with the natural world. Her work has been noted for its thematic focus on the Kogi people and the concept of aluna, reflecting a synthesis of cultural heritage and contemporary artistic inquiry.