Maria Tarruella's Exhibit at Philadelphia's White Stone Gallery
Hope will be the artist's first exhibit in the United States

PHILADELPHIA, PA (February 11, 2009) - White Stone Gallery is pleased to present Hope, an exhibition of new works by Maria Tarruella, a contemporary artist of Madrid, Spain. The exhibition of layered mixed media paintings includes three of her large-scale works in which Tarruella expresses her faith with the awarenes of small things becoming a sanctifying source of hope. Tarruella has become a significant artist to watch in Europe, with collectors and museum representatives traveling to Philadelphia for her Hope exhibit. This is the artist's United States gallery debut show. Maria Tarruella's work is expressive and abstract. Her work embodies her passion for communicating with the hearts of others and her faith. The writings of St. Teresa of Avila are a major inspiration for Tarruella's Hope series. The paintings have an overall aesthetic appeal yet each layer connects with the viewer in a different way. From her choice of papers for collage on raw linen to her use of pigment, iron powder, ash and wax - it all exemplifies her motivation. There is also spiritual meaning in the way the layers interact with each other. Susan Hooks, who owns White Stone Gallery with her husband Derek, said, "The very act of creating each painting, even entering her studio to paint, reminds Maria of the moment when Moses was asked to remove his shoes for he was on holy ground."

Maria Tarruella creates a visual experience that changes as you move through the room. Some of her metallic pigments are only visible from certain angles; one layer, which looks like wind washing over the canvas, is only visible in the dark. This serves as a metaphor for how she sees God in our lives. In Maria's paintings, as you draw closer to her sometimes almost seven feet tall pieces, deeper layers become visible - reminders of everyday life represented by receipts, newspaper clippings, a child's school work, etc. In the Hope series, Maria's goal is to reminds us of the presence of God in our daily lives. The Hope series is a visual representation of Maria Tarruella's prayers - layered in worship, service, and reverence.

The exhibit will run February 27 - March 29, with an opening reception on February 27 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. and a gallery talk on February 28 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. White Stone Gallery, which opened in 2002, represents art that reflects faith.

Maria Tarruella, received her BA in European Cultural Studies at the American University in Paris, graduating Cum Laude with a concentration in Art History. She continued her studies in Fine Arts (painting concentration) at the University of Bellas Artes in Barcelona, Spain; studied at the Sorbonne in Paris and at Sotheby's Institute in London. Tarruella worked in Venice, at the Guggenheim Collection and in London and Madrid for Sotheby's. Her work is sold internationally; being part of private collections in Spain, London, Rome, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Mexico, Israel and Dubai.
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