About me:

I was born on Christmas Day 1975, in Sofia (Bulgaria).

In 1992 my family and I immigrated to Johannesburg (South Africa). After spending a turbulent few month there, we decided to move back to Bulgaria. Five years later, we immigrated to Cape Town, where -encouraged by my mom- I pursued my artistic passions.

 

Even though I studied at the University of Cape Town (Michaelis School of Fine Art) and the University of South Africa (Visual Arts), I consider myself a ‘self-taught’ artist. Throughout my university years I was never given the constructive criticism and the encouragement that I needed. Instead, I was taught that today’s art world is ruled by the “Conceptual/Modern Art“, and often my work was deemed “too traditional” and “lacking artistic ability“. Utterly disheartened, I left my studies and stopped painting for several years. It was during this period that I discovered my passion for photography. Photography offered me an entirely new way to look at and experience the world around me. It also rekindled my artistic spark and helped me get back to painting. In 2015 I completed a Drawing and Painting Diploma course at the London Art College (U.K.). This helped me improve my skills and rebuild my confidence as an artist.

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About my work:

I take inspiration from everyday life, and I believe that if viewed at the right angle and with the right light, even the dullest subject can become exciting and extraordinary.

 

As I travel extensively and my surroundings constantly change, often my work is influenced in diverse ways. Each of the trips provides me with a wide range of subject matter.

 

Colours are vital to my work and I am addicted to patterns. What fascinates me the most though, is the light. The light has the ability to transform a figure, an object or an ordinary scene into something unique and magical. It is often this fascination that I am trying to convey in my paintings, as well as in my photography.

 

I work primarily with acrylics, as it is more practical for me, while travelling. I discovered very quickly that solvents, like turpentine, are not welcome in airplanes and hotel rooms. :) In addition, I prefer the acrylics, because their fast drying time allows me to layer bright hues quickly, and I don’t have to wait until my canvas is dry, in order to pack it.

 

Often when I paint I feel like I’m taking an exciting journey. I have an idea what the “destination” looks like, but I do not have any specific plan how to get there. :) No preliminary drawings or sketches - I just follow my emotional instincts. My reference is a blend of photographs that I have taken and memories of how I felt while taking this particular picture; of what impressed me the most in this particular moment.

 

The majority of my paintings are very small, they are mostly A4, sometimes even smaller. Large formats can put distance between the viewer and the artwork, while the small scale artworks draw the viewer closer in. There is a unique intimacy associated with the small paintings. I love the fact that one has to get so close to the image, to really appreciate it;  to see the brushstrokes and the detail.

 

I admire greatly the works of the Impressionists; of Van Gogh- for his broad brushstrokes and inventive perspectives, and of the “Les Fauves” group of artists, whose works emphasized painterly qualities and strong colour.

Among my favourite contemporary artists are Nicholas Verrall  - for his use of vibrant colours and interest in sparkling light; Laurent Parcelier – for the play of light and shadow in his paintings, and the South African artist William Kentridge – for his dynamic drawings and poignant animations.

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