About Me:
I was born and raised in Bulgaria, a timid kid I always found solace redrawing the images of my coloring books, ultimately creating my own. I was fascinated by the building blocks similar now to Lego, designing buildings with different room layouts. Or I was busy creating tiny miniature sculptures out of "plastelina," like a ship boat with a sail and lady on deck sitting on a chair with an elaborate dress and a hat with flowers and feathers, by her side a table with an open sketchbook and a container with colored pencils, all fitting in less than 5" of length. Later on, I went to study in one of the most prestigious vocational high school in the country specializing in fine arts. I received classical training in drawing, painting, and sculpture. Minoring in Printmaking from my high school I decided to try something new and applied to study ceramics, earning an MA in ceramics from the National Academy of Arts.
Six months later I moved to the States following the love of my life, then my boyfriend and now my husband, Christo. Working on my art, while raising two boys, while teaching ceramics has been a fantastic ride. I love learning and exploring new crafts too, so I have dabbled in some jewelry making, metalsmithing, textile, and embroidery. At the moment I mostly enjoy spending time with my family; skiing, cooking, hiking, biking or just being together.
About My Art:
I love form. I have always found it fascinating; from the seashells to the rolling hills in a landscape - curves and silhouettes are what engage my attention. I am transfixed, by how forms transition into one another or how the human body's posture and movement transcend into emotion.
In my work, I predominantly explore the female form. It is my favorite subject, expressing my artistic ideas through the “silent” body language of the figures I create. My sculptural work differentiates into two categories: large (over 15" in height) and small (typically below 12" in height). With my larger sculptures to have structural integrity, and to withstand the firing process, hollow forms were assembled. By the limitation of the method, they appear more static. The smaller figurines are sculpted solid then hollowed out in preparation for firing. The latter process allows me more freedom for working with the form; they are more flowing and less static.
I used to work in printmaking, and I guess that lead me to explore the possibilities of painting and graphics on the ceramic surface. For this, I found that making large bowls and plates, offers the best three-dimensional canvas. I call that body of work “Objects of Function.” The contrast of crispy line and delicate colored texture are especially vital to me; to get sharp lines, I use tape resist, and for the colored surfaces: engobes (specially formulated liquid clays) and lichen-like glazes. I like the forms to have a movement to them, that is why they are constructed by hand, using coils and slabs of clay. This method allows a measured imperfection - a reference to the organic and natural world, a form that is pleasing to observe from multiple angles.
In some of my work, I started to explore the symbiosis between the “Figurative” and the “Objects of Function.” I enjoy applying my graphic images on top the complex figurative forms, almost like a projection that follows the natural curves of the structure. It creates another dimension within the image.
I was born and raised in Bulgaria, a timid kid I always found solace redrawing the images of my coloring books, ultimately creating my own. I was fascinated by the building blocks similar now to Lego, designing buildings with different room layouts. Or I was busy creating tiny miniature sculptures out of "plastelina," like a ship boat with a sail and lady on deck sitting on a chair with an elaborate dress and a hat with flowers and feathers, by her side a table with an open sketchbook and a container with colored pencils, all fitting in less than 5" of length. Later on, I went to study in one of the most prestigious vocational high school in the country specializing in fine arts. I received classical training in drawing, painting, and sculpture. Minoring in Printmaking from my high school I decided to try something new and applied to study ceramics, earning an MA in ceramics from the National Academy of Arts.
Six months later I moved to the States following the love of my life, then my boyfriend and now my husband, Christo. Working on my art, while raising two boys, while teaching ceramics has been a fantastic ride. I love learning and exploring new crafts too, so I have dabbled in some jewelry making, metalsmithing, textile, and embroidery. At the moment I mostly enjoy spending time with my family; skiing, cooking, hiking, biking or just being together.
About My Art:
I love form. I have always found it fascinating; from the seashells to the rolling hills in a landscape - curves and silhouettes are what engage my attention. I am transfixed, by how forms transition into one another or how the human body's posture and movement transcend into emotion.
In my work, I predominantly explore the female form. It is my favorite subject, expressing my artistic ideas through the “silent” body language of the figures I create. My sculptural work differentiates into two categories: large (over 15" in height) and small (typically below 12" in height). With my larger sculptures to have structural integrity, and to withstand the firing process, hollow forms were assembled. By the limitation of the method, they appear more static. The smaller figurines are sculpted solid then hollowed out in preparation for firing. The latter process allows me more freedom for working with the form; they are more flowing and less static.
I used to work in printmaking, and I guess that lead me to explore the possibilities of painting and graphics on the ceramic surface. For this, I found that making large bowls and plates, offers the best three-dimensional canvas. I call that body of work “Objects of Function.” The contrast of crispy line and delicate colored texture are especially vital to me; to get sharp lines, I use tape resist, and for the colored surfaces: engobes (specially formulated liquid clays) and lichen-like glazes. I like the forms to have a movement to them, that is why they are constructed by hand, using coils and slabs of clay. This method allows a measured imperfection - a reference to the organic and natural world, a form that is pleasing to observe from multiple angles.
In some of my work, I started to explore the symbiosis between the “Figurative” and the “Objects of Function.” I enjoy applying my graphic images on top the complex figurative forms, almost like a projection that follows the natural curves of the structure. It creates another dimension within the image.