“According to the art experts  Maria is a representative of the modern artists in contemporary realism. Her art is classical and modern in the same time. During her artistic career Maria's realism is evolving from Classical Realism to the modern Photorealism and Minimalism.           Her specific exceptional technique of acrylic and oil with many layers of colours, made by ordinary brush and airbrush, give her paintings a magnificent depth and atmosphere. She makes unique combination of the old traditional paint technique with modern instruments as airbrush.      Maria uses the old technology of special preparation of the canvas, following the old traditional way. The painting process starts with a precise under painting with acrylic over black background. Using small brush strokes to build the three - dimensions of the subject, Maria defines the form and accentuates its highlights. Then, using airbrush, she applies to the painting transparent glazes of colours. The life-like quality that characterizes her paintings is due to this unique multi-layer technique of transparent airbrush glaze over lucent acrylic.           Her early Still-Life paintings are inspired by the Dutch and Flemish masters of the 16th and 17th centuries. Maria’s early Still-Lives feature compositions of opulent fruit, fabric, flowers, glasses and candles show her mastery and prove the eternity of this fine art genre.             Maria’s latest Still-Life are inspired by the contemporary Minimalism, and Photo-Realism. In her “Apples Series” she feature minimalistic compositions, painted in her exceptional technique in photo-realistic manner. Creating simple, central composition with central light coming from above, her aim is to intrigue the viewers, and  to focus their attention on the simple beauty of ordinary objects. About this New Collection of paintings Maria confesses: “I'd like to convince the spectators that there is so much beauty and harmony around us. People are missing this pleasure in their busy world so my aim is to capture someone's eye across the room and tease them into drawing closer, and closer until they can feel the pleasure-full sensation.”         With her art - Still-Lives made in the best tradition of the genre, Maria demonstrates her desire for more harmony and beauty in our busy life.   TV Bulgaria - the Satellite Channel of the Bulgarian National TV is making a film about Maria more photos Back to top

 

BIOGRAPHY

Maria was born in Bulgaria in 1966. In 1980, after she gets First Place on the entering  examines, Maria began to study drawing, painting, sculpture, art composition, and art-printing, at the "Tsanko Lavrenov" High School Of Fine Arts, Plovdiv, Bulgaria , where she graduated on First Place in 1985.  In the same year - 1985 - she continued her art education in the Fine Arts Department of "St. St. Cyril and Methodius" University, Bulgaria, specialised in plastic arts and oil painting and graduated from the University with Master of Fine Arts in 1990.      She is a Teacher of the Year in Fine Arts, Bulgaria, 1992.      1993 - 1995 Maria is a lecturer in art composition and painting at the High School Of Fine Arts in Plovdiv, and now is working full-time on artworks in her studio in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.      She has been a member of the Union of the Bulgarian Artists, Plovdiv since 1992.      Besides in the field of Still Life she also works in the field of portrait and figured realism.     Since 1995 Maria is working with many galleries all over the world: "Galleriet" and "Amare" in Stavanger, Norway; "Voshan", CA, Fine-Art Metropolis, MA, Astohomedesign Woshington DC, USA; with "Seki Art Salon" and "Triumph Gallery", Tokyo, Japan; and “Ronald Coles Investment Art Galleries”, Sydney, Australia, as well as with many Bulgarian Art Galleries.      Maria has several solo shows, participation in numerous National and International juried exhibition, and realized Collaborative Projects with her husband, the artist Valery Varbanov:     www.varbanov.dir.bg   www.varbanov.evro.net. During their artistic careers Maria and Valery Varbanov have realized several Collaborative and few Solo art-projects – in the field of abstract, realistic and photo-realistic art. They are experimenting in wide range of genres – Abstract and Surrealistic compositions, Still Life in Classical Realism and Photorealism, Photorealistic Portraits and Figure. Recently they are also working in the field of the art-photography and video-art. In their creative process they are using a computer in the building of the primary projects for their paintings.       After the Graduation from the University Maria and Valery Varbanov are taking part in numerous National and International Exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad. After 1995 they are exhibiting mainly in foreign galleries, thus now they are more well-known artists abroad- in Stavanger, Norway, Palo Alto and Boston, USA, in Tokyo, Japan and Sydney, Australia.               Maria's artworks are included in Corporate and Private collections in Bulgaria, Norway, USA, Japan, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, U.A.E. and in many other coutries all around the world.    Back to top

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS:   1993             - National Gallery "Zl. Boiadziev", Plovdiv, Bulgaria 1995             - City Gallery of the Association of Artists in Plovdiv, Bulgaria 1997             - Art Gallery "Galleriet", Stavanger, Norway 2003             - Art Gallery "Galleriet", Stavanger, Norway 2006             - Art Gallery "Teddy", Varna, Bulgaria 2007             - Art Gallery "Seasons", Sofia, Bulgaria 2007             - Art Center "Altera" in the World Trade Center Interpred, Sofia, Bulgaria 2007             - Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, "Sredets" Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria 2008             - Gallery "Amare", Stavanger, Norway in the frame of Stavanger 2008                         European Capital of Culture 2008 2009              - Art Center RG-21, Rouse, Bulgaria     Maria & Valery Varbanov represented Bulgaria in Stavanger’08 – European Capital of Culture with Collaborative Exhibition “The Forbidden Fruit – Realistic and Mystic” paintings, art photography, workshop and video-art projections and life-painting-show   in the biggest private gallery in Norway - Gallery "Amare" in Stavanger, Norway 8th May - 6th June 2008 The event was sponsored by: The Bulgarian Ministry of Culture Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Communication Strategy  for the EU accession of Bulgaria the Norwegian Concern "Risa" and "Jaerbetong" more photos >>   Collaborative exhibition of Maria and Valery Varbanov - "The Apple - Realistic and Abstract" at Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, "Sredets" Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria, September 2007 more photos >>   Maria at Art Center "Altera" in the World Trade Center Interpred, Sofia, Bulgaria, May 2007 more photos >>   Maria at Gallery "Sezoni", Sofia, Bulgaria, March 2007 more photos >>   Maria at Teddy Gallery, Varna, Bulgaria, December 2006   SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS:   Since 1992    - Participation in the main exhibitions of the                         Association of Artists in Plovdiv, Bulgaria 1995             - National Art exhibition "Autumn Saloon",                        "Shipka 6" Art Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria 1993             - International Art Bienale, Gabrovo, Bulgaria 1994             - National Art Exhibition, Kjustendil, Bulgaria 1995             - National Art Exhibition, Lovetch, Bulgaria 1995 - 2008 - Art Gallery "Galeriet", Art Gallery "Amare" in Stavanger, Norway 2002 - 2007  -"Voshan" Fine Arts Gallery, PaloAlto, CA, USA  2002 - 2008  -"Seki Art Salon", Tokyo, Japan 2003 - 2008 -"Triumph Gallery", Tokyo, Japan  2004             - Tokyo International Art Fair   2004             - Ronald Coles Investment Art Galleries, Sydney, Australia 2005             - Astrohome Design - LLC, Washington, DC, USA 2007             - Gallery Art-M, Tryavna, Bulgaria 2007             - Maria represented Bulgaria on the First Biannual EMMA -                        European Masters of Modern Art, in the Water-Castle of Burgau, Austria         Maria represented Bulgaria on the First Biannual EMMA - European  Masters of Modern Art, in the Water-Castle of Burgau, Austria.   60 artists from 33 countries were selected for the EMMA exhibition. Maria won 3rd place at the EMMA Visitors' Award.    The three paintings, which Maria showed at EMMA are the best from her  “Portraits of Apples” Series. Sponsor of Maria’s participation at EMMA is the Bulgarian pharmaceutical company –Actavis more photos from EMMA >>        Back to top

 

 

Galleries that handle Maria's art works   Art Center RG-21, Ruse, Bulgaria Gallery Art-M, Tryavna, Bulgaria "Altera" Art Gallery in the World Trade Center-Interpred , Sofia, Bulgaria Art Gallery "Seasons", Sofia, Bulgaria Teddy Gallery, Varna, Bulgaria  Ronald Coles Investment Art Galleries, Sydney, Australia Astrohome Design - LLC, Washington, DC, USA "Seki Art Salon", Tokyo, Japan "Triumph" Gallery, Tokyo, Japan "Voshan" Fine Arts Gallery, Palo Alto, CA, U.S.A. Gallery "Amare", Stavanger, Norway Gallery "Galleriet", Stavanger, Norway       Back to top     PRESS RELEASES:   The Bulgarian most luxury life-style magazine – "Premium Lifestyle", represented Maria’s art and her participation at EMMA respectively in its Spring 2007 and Summer 2007 issues.     “Gulf Connoisseur” Magazine January/February 2004 issue “Gulf Connoisseur” Magazine October/November 2005 issue “Essence” The Ritz-Carlton Magazine, Jan/Feb/Mar 2006   To view the issues of "Gulf Connoisseur" and "Essence" - The Ritz-Carlton Magazine for Middle East and Turkey click here   Back to top

 

SOME COMMISSIONS:   Two Still-Life Paintings with fruits and flowers have been ordered to Maria from the Government of Oman trough an English art-dealer for the Villa of Sultan of Oman Qaboos bin Said al Said in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.  First Still-Life Maria started to paint during her and Valery’s reality show “Open Studio” and the process of creation was life-steaming on Internet, thus the Sultan of Oman was able to watch the creation of painting alive.     see more >>       The biggest Italian investor in Bulgaria Edoardo Miroglio ordered to Maria to create a collection of 8 paintings for the new Hotel in his Wine-cellar in Elenovo, Thracian region, Bulgaria. Each painting features different kind of grapes cultivated in EM Winery.   Maria and Valery Varbanov with Edoardo Miroglio on Vinaria 2010.     To view this Collection "Portraits of Grapes" click here     Back to top     PORTRAITS:     Maria Varbanova in process of creating a copy of a portrait from 19th  century in the National Museum of Arts, Plovdiv, Bulgaria   Back to top     e-mail: mariavarbanova@yahoo.com   Home · New paintings  · Gallery I  · Gallery II  · Gallery III  · Contact me Copyrights ©1998-2009  Maria Varbanova  & Valery Varbanov - All rights reserved. Design by Valery Varbanov