Eli Ruhala

Second Stage Watercolor (Dissolving)

Talley Dunn Gallery
Fall 2025

Talley Dunn Gallery is honored to present Second Stage Watercolor (Dissolving) by Eli Ruhala. Consisting of nine paintings on paper, this grouping depicts the composition debuting at the artist’s first one-person exhibition in New York, on view at White Columns from November 8–December 20, 2025. This suite of nine works on paper reveal the artist’s creative practice within his studio, as he explored form, movement, and color intended for the larger installation.  A key step to the process of creating the monumental work for White Columns, this preparatory study shows the development of the composition prior to its final state of completion.

Elijah Ruhala is an artist based in North Texas utilizing building materials to affect the way in which we view the connotations behind them. He explores queerness in what are traditionally very conservative environments, influenced by his upbringing in rural Texas. He has received numerous scholarships and honors allowing him to pursue a BFA in painting at The Maryland Institute College of Art and received his MFA at Texas Christian University on a full-ride. In 2021 he was selected for the Turner House’s Rising Star award. He is also the recipient of grants from The National Endowment for the Arts, The Dallas Museum of Art, and other organizations which he uses to fund thought-provoking site-specific installations. For his interventions, he collaborates with non-profit community art centers such as The Center for Contemporary Art in Abilene, Art League Houston, and Arts Fort Worth to engage with different communities. He has been featured in New American Paintings, Southwest Contemporary, and other publications. Recently Ruhala was selected by Matthew Higgs to participate in “Open University” at the Dallas Contemporary where he was also named the inaugural recipient of the McReynolds prize.