Driven by my passion for Nature and seeing its diversity, I was captured by the immense beauty of Swedish Lapland where I encountered the vibrant movement of The Northern Lights for the first time.
My fascination, combined with my curiosity and experience in working with tree bark as the main material for my paintings, led me to see a connection between Aurora Borealis and the unique shapes and curves of the bark. This understanding inspired me to start a new body of work exploring the very changeable nature of the northern lights.
My objective was to capture its majestic beauty and playfulness. In my work I express this colorful phenomenon in a unique way by following the natural curves of the tree bark with fluorescent colors. The gentle three-dimensional surface combined with fluorescent paint under UV black light results in a painting that unveils fully at night.
When observers experience my art, I want them to feel the presence of color and movement in the night sky, quiet and captivating: a tiny piece of Aurora hanging on the wall.
Short video about my art practice and inspiration.
Tsvetomir Iliev, born in Bulgaria in 1982, is an emerging artist whose work captures the beauty in the hidden complexity of nature. His fascination with art began by chance in 2010 when he first started experimenting with small pieces of fallen tree bark. He found it incredibly interesting with a great potential for composing organic, nearly three-dimensional acrylic paintings.
Since then, through continuous exploration and persistent effort, art became his real passion.
A self-taught artist, he slowly made his first steps in the art world in the last few years and is now passionately exploring galleries, reading the history of art and learning new techniques. Tsvetomir has completed the course at The Working Artist online business school for creative professionals. In 2018 he became a member of The Abundant Artists Association.
His art has already inspired the curiosity of a few private collectors in Europe and The US who now own some of his works. His paintings have been displayed in 5 solo exhibitions and various group exhibitions, small galleries and art fairs.
Two of his later paintings “Ascension”(2014) and “The Milky Way 2”(2016) made second-round of judging for the prestigious Summer Exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts. In 2015 the painting “Sources life” was included in a group charity exhibition for children with diabetes and in 2016 won 2nd place - "3 Dimensional Categories" at Nature Art Competition at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery.
His journey as an artist and his close connection with nature led him to the initiative “Start Simple – Plant A Tree” which is an invitation to involve as many people as possible through tree planting, artwork and presentations concerning the importance and value of trees and forests. In 2017 there were three exhibitions “Start Simple – Plant A Tree” and 1700 trees were planted in the beautiful mountain region where he lives.
Currently, Tsvetomir is working on a new body of work exploring the very changeable nature of northern lights and his objective is to capture its beauty, majesty, and playfulness through the unique shapes and curves of the tree bark.
Tsvetomir Iliev
FB: Barkflower art studio
1982 Born, Lom, Bulgaria. Currently resides in Aarhus , Denmark.
Education:
2018 – A course at The Abundant Artis/How to sell art online
2016 - A course at The Working Artist online business school for creative professionals.
2007 - Bachelor, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria
2001 - High school economics, Lom, Bulgaria
Awards:
2018 September The painting "Aurora 2" is awarded "Hon. Mention - Painting Category" for Open Art Exhibition at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery
2016 August The painting "Sources life" is awarded "2nd place - 3 Dimensional Category" at Nature Art Competition at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery
2016 August The painting "The Milky Way 2" is awarded "Special Recognition Category" at Nature Art Competition at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery
2016 May The painting "The Milky Way 2" made second-round of judging for the Summer Exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts
2015 August The painting "Ascension" is awarded "Hon. Mention - 3 Dimensional Category" for Nature Art Competition at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery
2014 May The painting "Ascension" made second-round of judging for the Summer Exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts
2014 May The painting "Destiny" made first-round of judging for the Summer Exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts
Solo exhibitions:
2019 December Northern lights exhibition, Gifted art gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria.
2017 December "Start simple – plant a tree", Petko U. Todorov gallery, Elena town, Bulgaria
2017 May "Start simple – plant a tree", The Art Foundation, Sofia, Bulgaria
2016 April "Nature - source of life", The Art Foundation, Sofia, Bulgaria
2015 September "Nature - source of life", Rafael Mihailov exhibition halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2014 August Rila lakes hotel, Rila mountain, Bulgaria
Group
exhibitions and art fairs:
2022 October Output festival, Aarhus, Denmark
2019 April-May Group exhibition at the Cultural Center “The White House”, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2018 September Forest Resonance art fair, village of Belashtitsa, Bulgaria
2018 April Group exhibition at the Cultural Center The White House, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2017 September Group exhibition at the Cultural Center “The White House”, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2017 September Forest Resonance art fair, village of Belashtitsa, Bulgaria
2017 August Tulenovo Art Festival, Tulenovo, Bulgaria
2017 July "Start simple – plant a tree" exhibition at Health and Sports Festival, Sofia Bulgaria
2017 May Art festival "Sea Resonance", Golden Sands
sea resort, Bulgaria
2016 September Forest Resonance art fair, village of
Belashtitsa, Bulgaria
2016 August Tulenovo Art Festival, Tulenovo, Bulgaria
2016 May Contemporary art festival "Colorful Balkan
World", Elana town, Bulgaria
2016 May Sea Resonance art fair, Golden Sands
sea resort, Bulgaria
2016 January Berlin Edition of Quardratfuss, Berlin, Germany
2015 November Charity group exhibition "50x50", for children with diabetes at European commission building , Sofia, Bulgaria
2015 July Charitygroup exhibition "50x50", for children with diabetes at Rafael Mihailov exhibition halls, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
2015 May Charity group exhibition "50x50", for children with diabetes at Petko U. Todorov gallery, Elena town, Bulgaria
2014 December Group exhibition at Petko U. Todorov gallery, Elena town, Bulgaria
2013 August Exhibited artworks at "Hantverksbutiken", Jokkmokk, Sweden
Art fairs:
2019 March Artrooms Art Fair, The Church Village, Rome, Italy.
Bibliography:
An article “Northern lights installation”, Kafene.bg culture platform,
Bulgaria - 02.04.2019
Published artworks in the second issue of “On Your Doorstep” magazine, UK – 20.09.2016
Featured in the Alumni News of The Working Artist - June 2016
Publication about exhibition "Nature - Source of Life", radio Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria - 03.09.15
An interview about the exhibition "Nature - Source of Life", Evrokom TV Tsarevets, Veliko Tarnovо, Bulgaria - 03.09.15
An article “Back to Nature”, Borba newspaper, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria - 19.12.14
© 2021 Barkflower art studio