This is me...

       I grew up in Bulgaria and my summers as a child were spent at my grandmother’s house in a beautiful village by the mountains. The village was surrounded by flower fields, farmlands, forests, creeks, ponds, and a bubbling river. During my time there, my favorite thing to do was look closely at the plants and the flowers in my grandmother’s garden. I admired the amazing colors within them, the way sunlight and shadows played on the petals and leaves, as well as the tiny rainbows that would be created from sunshine reflecting off of dew drops.

 

       On the days in which it was too cold to play outside, I would sit in my grandmother’s kitchen and draw her garden. I had no formal training in art, so my pieces often looked stylized. Although childish in appearance, my drawings were precious to me. The love I had for them grew an artistic passion in me that led me to painting.

 

       Many years later, I was introduced to Rosemaling, the Norwegian art of flower painting. The beauty of the scrolls, the strokes that formed the flowers, the intricate colors, and embellishments awed me. The warmth of this old art spoke to me of times long gone. I began Rosemaling to remind myself of the magical memories I held from my childhood as well as to share this lovely art form with others.