Maria Saidi was born and raised in Washington Heights, New York City. She attended an all-girls Catholic School walking distance from the Cloisters Museum. The distraction and chaos of the neighborhood and her home led to a ritual of using the Cuxa Cloister as her place of study after school. Deeply moved by the art she saw at the Museum she became fascinated with Medieval and Renaissance art. She began her art studies as a teenager at the Art Student's League and attended Parsons School of Design.  
 
Inspired by personal narratives her work centers on the search for beauty and embodies a passion for artistic decoration. Using graphic design and painting she seeks to push the limits of her creativity. 

She is the founder of Oddo-Saidi, a boutique graphic design studio located in Montclair, New Jersey.