January 25- April 5, 2008

The Parthenon welcomes painter Marla Faith to the East Gallery. Faith has a B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After traveling for a year in Asia, she returned to receive a M.S. in Museum Leadership from Bank Street College, New York. Her current series of paintings depict diverse women of Nashville. Faith imparts her Asian understanding in confidently colorful and spiritually infused images. She links organic items with her human subjects to draw attention to the connection of women with the earth. Faith emphasizes this age-old link, which originated in many belief systems including Greek mythology. A series of smaller paintings explores the push and pull of diverse deities placed in still-life unions as gods and goddess of different faiths within the picture plane neighboring one another.

"The city of Nashville exhibits a diverse sociology, which makes it an appropriate time to exhibit Marla Faith. In her portraits of Nashville women, her dynamic painting style of color and bold stroke dovetails nicely with her intentions to explore different belief systems," says Susan Shockley, Curator

A joint opening reception with West Gallery painter, Victoria Boone will take place at the Parthenon on Friday, January 25 from 6-8 p.m. This reception is free and open to the public.

The Parthenon is open 9:00-4:30, Tuesday-Saturday. Admission is $5.00 for adults and $2.50 for seniors over 62 and children 4-17. Children under 4 are free.

Directions: http://www.nashville.gov/Parthenon/Directions.htm