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MARIA |
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“According
to the art experts
Maria
is a representative of the modern artists in contemporary
realism.
Her still life paintings are inspired by the Dutch
and Flemish masters of the 16th and 17th centuries.
With her still lifes made in the best tradition of
the genre Maria demonstrates her desire for more harmony and beauty in our
busy life.
Her specific exceptional technique of acrylic and
oil with many layers of colors, 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 canvas prepared by the old technology
with hand-made ground coat 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 oil glazes of colors. The
life-like quality that characterizes her paintings is due to this unique
multi-layer technique of transparence airbrush glaze over lucent acrylic.
Her exquisite still life feature compositions of
opulent fruit, fabric, flowers, glasses and candles show her mastery and prove
the eternity of this fine art genre.
… And the result is extraordinary – classical realistic still lifes,
dramatic and in the same time - deep and intimate, which relate stories and
suggest moods.”
TV Bulgaria - the Satellite Channel
of the Bulgarian National TV is making
a film
about
Maria
more photos
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BIOGRAPHY |
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Maria was born in Bulgaria in 1966. In 1980, after she
gets First Place on the entering examines, Maria began to study painting,
printing, sculpture and art composition 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.
Since 1995
Maria is working with many
galleries all over the world: "Galleriet" and "Amare" in Stavanger, Norway; "Voshan",
CA, and “Reign Gallery”, RI, in 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.
Maria's artworks are included in Corporate and Private collections in
Bulgaria, Norway, USA, Japan, Canada, Great Britain, Australia and in
many other coutries all around the world.
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SOLO EXHIBITIONS: |
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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 "Sezoni",
Sofia, Bulgaria
2007
- Art Center "Altera" in the World Trade Center Interpred, Sofia,
Bulgaria
2007
- Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, "Sredets"
Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria |
Maria at
Teddy
Gallery, Varna, Bulgaria
Maria at Gallery "Sezoni", Sofia,
Bulgaria
more photos
Maria at Art Center "Altera"
in the World Trade Center Interpred, Sofia,
Bulgaria
more photos
Collaborative
exhibition of Maria and Valery Varbanov - "The Apple - Realistic and Abstract"at Bulgarian Ministry of Culture, "Sredets"
Hall, Sofia, Bulgaria
more photos
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EXHIBITIONS:
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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
1993
- International Art Bienale, Gabrovo, Bulgaria
1994 - National Art Exhibition, Kjustendil, Bulgaria
1995 - National Art Exhibition, Lovetch, Bulgaria
1995 - Art Gallery "Galeriet",
Art Gallery "Amare"
in Stavanger, Norway
2002
-"Voshan" Fine Arts Gallery, PaloAlto, CA, USA
2002
-"Seki
Art Salon", Tokyo, Japan
2003
-"Triumph Gallery", Tokyo, Japan 2004 - Tokyo
International Art Fair 2004
- Ronald Coles Investment Art
Galleries, Sydney,
Australia 2005
- Astrohome Design - LLC, Washington, DC, USA 2006
- Reign Gallery, Newport, RI, USA 2007
- Gallery Art-M, Tryavna, Bulgaria 2007
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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
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FORTHCOMING
EXHIBITIONS |
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Maria and Valery Varbanov will represent
Bulgaria in
Stavanger - European Capital of
Culture 2008
with their Collaborative exhibition in
the biggest private gallery in Norway -
Gallery "Amare", Stavanger
- 8th May - 6th June 2008
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Galleries that handle
Maria's art works |
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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
Reign Gallery, Newport, RI, USA
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
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PRESS
RELEASES:
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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.
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“Gulf Connoisseur”
Magazine January/February 2004
issue |
“Gulf Connoisseur”
Magazine October/November
2005 issue |
“Essence”
The Ritz-Carlton Magazine,
Jan/Feb/Mar
2006 |
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To view the issues of "Gulf
Connoisseur" and "Essence" - The Ritz-Carlton
Magazine for Middle East and Turkey
click
here
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Why do I choose to
work in classical realistic style?
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Artists learn everything they can about other artists' styles and
techniques throughout history, filter this information through their own
experience and temperament, and generate their own style.
It can take years for an artist to develop a
specific style, reflecting his or her artistic range and personal
temperament. But, in my opinion, an artist's work must not stop there.
Artists have to constantly take on new stylistic challenges. In this
sense, I’m not afraid of searching for new ways and means of expression.
I’m always trying out new subjects, media, and perspectives - to keep my
work fresh and original.
Some artists find that the emotional impulse drives
them to create, and seek to reveal that emotion in their art. Other
artists are drawn to innate logic and order; they are likely to take a
rational approach to art. Concerning my art, I would say that I’m
seeking to find the balance and accord between emotion and rationality
in my paintings.
I think that the art with classical or rational
tendencies continues to be very popular because it brings to our busy
lives a sense of balance and harmony. With my art I try to persuade the
viewers that if we look carefully enough, we can find a certain
classical beauty and elegant form in the most ordinary objects and
materials. I try to suggest trough my images that perhaps there is a
mysterious, underlying order even in our chaotic world.
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What is
Still Life for me?
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On definition a Still life is a picture of inanimate objects. It has
always been an important formal exercise for an artist. The aim of the
artist is to capture volume, texture and color convincingly enough to
convey an illusion of reality. I always try to create still lifes that
are more than just a picture of objects. I would like my still lifes to
have a hidden content, to tell a story or to remind us of life’s
brevity.
When I arrange my still lifes, I don’t simply
choose attractive or interesting objects to depict, but I choose objects
that symbolize aspects of our existence and human presence.
My sill lifes have to look like deserted stage sets in a state of suspended
animation - just waiting for the next act to begin, like someone has
just left or someone will just come.
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The creative process
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When I decide to create a
still life, I always have a plan in my mind. I always have a screenplay
for the story I would like to relate. When the idea is clear, I begin to
think about the ways to realize it. When I set the scene, I have to find
the best and the only one possible composition which should convey my
idea, I have to find the most attractive combination of the objects
themselves, their location, the lighting conditions and last but not
least - the point of view. In my opinion, the most important and
powerful means for the still life is the
light. When I arrange my still lifes I
prefer to use light which imitate the natural illumination – like in a
late summer afternoon or morning, and sometimes - intimate candle
lights. This way I achieve warmer and more intimate atmosphere, the
feeling of romantic contemplation or dramatic tension in my still lifes.
For the
painting
- I use canvas prepared with hand made ground coat, following the
technology of the old masters, with gesso-ground based on natural
organic substances.
I prefer to paint on black or dark gray background.
While I paint, I like the objects in my still lifes to appear from the
dark. First I make a precise under painting with acrylic, using a small
ordinary brush. Then I continue with oil using airbrush and brush. My
latest still lifes are made with acrylic only.
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I’ve been often asked with question -
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How long does it take to paint one still life like this?
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The answer I always give is that each painting
is different and it depends on the size and the objects. But it is
always at the cost of 25 years painting practice, experience and
knowledge.
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When do I decide that the
painting is completely ready?
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As to me - “That is the question!” It is very important
to know when to stop. One painting, especially realistic, could be
painted lifetime. You have to believe me that it’s a very big temptation
and challenge to paint out to the full the painting (especially when you
have the experience to do this). To me each painting is like a child who
grows and suddenly it gets its own personality and character. And there
comes the moment when you have to respect and follow its own life. The
key is to realize where to stop, to overcome the artistic narcissism and
desire for a skill demonstration, and to conform to the painting’s life.
I’ve been always aspired to keep the painting’s freshness and achieved
mood; do not overpaint it. I’ve never had the ambition to achieve a
hyper realistic quality in my paintings because I find it senseless for
my still lifes. It’s more important for me to attain the mood,
atmosphere and to tell the story I would like to share.
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PORTRAITS:
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Maria
Varbanova in process of creating a copy of a portrait from 19th
century
in the National Museum of Arts, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
To
see some of Maria's portraits - click on the
banner below:
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e-mail:
mariavarbanova@yahoo.com
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Valery Varbanov
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