Lidiya Simeonova

Lidia Simeonova – http://www.lidiasimeonov.com/

My artwork is a reflection of my life. I have projected frozen moments — good and bad — onto the canvas. As my style and personality matured, I traveled the world. My artwork tells a story — my story, of the different periods in my personal and creative life.

I was born and grew up in Bulgaria, where I obtained a Bachelor’s Degree from Velico Tarnovo University of Fine Arts. From 1983, I participated in many national exhibitions.

My free spirit, and lust for discovery and exploration fueled a worldwide journey.
From Bulgaria, I moved with my family to Czechoslovakia and again to Germany in 1991. Uprooting our lives with two children proved both adventurous and challenging for me. Once we arrived in Germany, I found myself eased and inspired by many traditions, culture and good friends there. I kept painting and managed to put on a couple of shows in Germany but meanwhile I was trying to explore opportunities in different parts of Europe as well. My paintings hung in galleries in Paris as well as different international shows in France.
When we moved to the United States in 1994, I discovered another world — the world of electronics and computers. I became a Graphic Designer for a couple of years and after taking Automotive Continuing Education Classes at College for Creative Studies in Detroit I became a Clay Modeler (Sculptor) working for General Motors, where I have been for the past 7 years. In United State I found the opportunity to show my artwork at many national and international shows. Here I received most of mine awards and recognition.

I was also published in many local and national Newspapers and Catalogs (here will be a link to the list of the publications). Today my portfolio reflects a variety of mediums and style. I spent many years as an abstract artist, but the human figure has always persisted in the creative process. I am researching differences in human portrait and emotions accompanied through human relationship.

I am excited to meet people from different continents and continents, learn more about their culture and how the culture reflects over the human portraiture and emotions. All this is coming after observations on the “living life” and its unexplainable influence, which I will transfer in my art in one form or another.

Art has always been a primary means of self-expression for me. Therefore, I create art because I have a need to express on a continual basis. The figures I paint and sculpt are reflections of myself, portraits of people I know, or just nameless faces set in a landscape of ephemeral and decaying beauty. This is all I am trying to achieve – creating a work in which life and painting blend in a perfect existential poem.

My latest achievement is – Best of Show in this year’s Art Inter/National Exhibition! and “2010 Artist of the Year.” at Boxheart Gallery, Pennsylvania.

I was invited to have a OneMen Show at the same gallery February 2010.
Currently I was invited as Curator and Judge for the AD.C International ArtAwards by Access Arts Network.*

Bulgarian national exhibitions

1987 Gallery Balabanov- Ancient Town of Plovdiv, Bulgaria
1988 Gallery Shipka 6, Sofia, Bulgaria
1989 Natl., Exhibition of Young Artists, Shipka 6 Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria
1990 Natl., Exhibition Small Format -Sliven, Bulgaria
1990 Natl., Exhibition Shipka 6 Gallery, Sofia, Bulgaria

International exhibitions

1991 Center of Culture & Arts “Passinger Fabric”, Munich, Germany
1992 Center of Culture & Arts “Passinger Fabric”, Munich, Germany
1992 “Arts-Inter” International Salon Seigneurs De L’Art – Marceille, France
1993 Artist Society Group Exhibition, Berg, Germany
1993 Center of Culture & Arts Taufkirchen, Munich, Germany
1994 Salon for Fine Arts – Chatelerault, France
1995 Natl., Exhibition Douglaston Art League, NY
1995 13 Natl., International Exhibition San Bernardino Museum – LA, CA
1995 Joppish’s Bay Gallery – Northport, MI
1996 Roger Lapelle Gallery -Philadelphia, PA
1996 Fedulov Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1996 Medici Center for Visual Arts, Philadelphia, PA
1996 Arts Center of the Ozarks, Ozarks, Arkansas
1997 Midwest Color’97 Chapter 104 Natl., Exhibition, Bloomfield, MI
1997 Hillcrest Art Center – International Exhibition, Hillcrest, CA
1998 Venice Art Center, Venice, Florida
1999 Michigan Annual Exhibition, Mount Clemence, MI
1999 Midwest Color’99 Exhibition (CPSA), Chicago, IL
2000 Michigan Annual Exhibition, Mount Clemence, MI
2000 Maniscalco Gallery, Detroit, MI
2001 Maniscalco Gallery, Detroit, MI
2003 GM Design Center Gallery
2004 GM Design Center Gallery
2005 WomenMade Gallery, Chicago, IL
2006 Her Mark – Woman Made Gallery, Chicago I
2006 The National Association for Gallery Owners, Directors & Artists American Juried Art     Salon’s Fall/Winter
2006  American Juried Art Salon of American Association for Gallery Owners
2007  The power of the portrait- ArtRom Gallery, Rom Italy
2007 2007 International Online Art Contest, AU
2007  Medial 2 Art Biennial international Competition
2007  Art Interview 10 Intnl. Competition
2007  Diesel New Art Intnl. Art Competition
2007  2007 Actual Size Biennial – Contemporary Art Institute of Detroit
2007  Empowerment4wemen Magazine – cover artist
2008  Annual Bulgarian art show ‘Beyond Borders II, Chocago. IL
2008  Digital art Show – GM Gallery
2009 Art Inter/National Exhibition, Pitsburg, PA

Recognitions and awards

1993 Diploma, International Contest for Alkyd Paintings, Venice, Italy
1993 Silver Medal for Illustration “Parrot in the Forest” Fernsehwohe, Germany
1994 First Place Art Contemporain – Chatelerault, France
1995 Award of Merit – Douglaston, New York
1995 Honored in The Artist’s Magazine Portrait Competition
1996 Windberg Enterprises Achievement Award, MI
1999 Lyra Award – Chapter 103, Colored Pencil Society of America
2007 3rd Place in “The power of the portrait” ArtRom Gallery, Rom Italy
2007 Medial 2 Art Biennial – Diploma of Excellence
2007 Art Interview 10 International Competition – Honorable Mention
2007 First Prize Winner in 2007 International Art Contest, Australia
2009 Best of Show Award in the 2009 Art Inter/National Exhibition.

Publications

1990 Almanac of Culture and Arts – Bulgaria
1993 Suddeutche Zeitung, Germany
1993 Weekly News Journal – Fernsehwoche, Germany
1994 Plovdiv News, Bulgaria
1995 The Artist’s Magazine, US
1996 Encyclopedia of Living Artist in America, 10th Edition
1997 Detroit Free Press
1997 The Advisor Weekly Newspaper
1997 Warren Weekly
1997 Macomb Daily
1999- 2008  Edition “Who is Who in American Woman”
1999 “Who is Who in the 2000… ”
2000-09  “Who is Who in The World”
2000 Outstanding People of the 20 Century, Cambridge, England
2001 “1000 Great Americans”
2002-2007” Who is Who ”
2008 – 2009/10 Prinston Premier Honor Edition Registry for the most accomplished  professionals.