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Maria Pia Malerba was born in the Puglia region in Southern Italy. She studied Art in high school and then went on to study at Accademia di Belle Arti a fine art institute. After earning her degree specializing in scenography: set design and costume history she went to Lake Como to become a text tile designer. Maria Pia had the opportunity to create textile designs for big fashion stylists like Dolce Gabana, Versace and Cavalli. This was an extraordinary time for her to grow as an artist. For 12 years, she was continually inspired by new trends. At the same time when she wasn’t creating art on fabric, she was still painting Hyperrealism & abstract artwork on canvas, stone or wood. Here in Florida Maria Pia came into contact with Dore whom is the business leader in ballroom dance gown design. She was fascinated and inspired by this new world. Maria Pia was born with this strong per pension to research the beauty in life. Every morning she would wake up with enthusiasm to bring to life her ideas and create new things. Color, objects and shapes fascinate her and she likes to associate ideas and concepts that are very different and put them together. Maria Pia was in kindergarten when she started painting. Her first oil painting was at age 12. She painted almost every day of her life. Twenty years later she was hired by a company to paint a Madonna on stone for a gift for the Pope that now is being displayed at the Vatican. She has been showcased at various galleries all over Italy and America. Winning 1st prize the “Raffaello Sanzio award” in Rome in 2006. She's very eclectic; she loves to paint abstractism as well as hyperrealism. Her favorite Stylist/artist is Alexander McQueen. She is in love with his theatrically extraordinary gowns and genius vision. Right now she is creating a collection on couture gowns that are made with recycled materials like paper, plastic, foam etc.
www.maria-pia-art.com 116 FOCUS of SWFL 2013
Mariapia Malerba
Photography by Indi Franco