Anzelika Koleva, the featured artist today, fell in love with art when she was a teenager. She nurtured that love passionately and sought different fields to express it. Painting turned out to be her true medium, her love.
Nearly a month ago, you had an exhibition of your (vinyl) records titled "Traveling Through Time". The unique choice of "canvas" you use to portray your travels while creating an incredible visual experience with which you infuse life to old, damaged records is extraordinary.
How did you come up with the idea to use old, damaged records and what do your travels through time reveal?
I have been working on old records since 1988/89. That summer I was rewarded a record at a disco for the best dressed person. The record was from my favourite group - Dire Straits. It was a very dear gift. But I accidently forgot it in a friend's car and it melted from the heat. I didn't want to throw it away, so I started drawing on it, then poured and spread various materials from wax, to colors and make-up.... It was a gorgeous piece! After that I started painting my dad's records and created a huge number of pieces that I mostly gave away as gifts and sold some. My travelogues through time reveal my emotions, events taken from my life, some happy, some sad... To be more specific, the paintings and the records show whole stories made up of emotions and there are even several stories in a single piece.
Can you share the work process on one piece?
As I have already mentioned, each record shows my emotions. I am looking for ways to express momentary inspiration immediately so I first start by mixing colors and spread them onto the canvas or the record and I leave my mind and my fingers to lead the way. I work with liquid paints and create emotions, characters or shapes using my fingers. Sometimes I use a scraper, but somehow I work best using my fingers. That way I always achieve what I have imagined.
Beside the canvas, you also use ceramics and glass as foundation to transfer your world onto. Which of these media are the most difficult to manipulate and which is the most favorable?
The most difficult medium is certainly the canvas because on it I apply a picture over picture. It certainly gives space to create. It drains me but at the same time it fills me up. The most favorable medium is glass and ceramics. Not that you cannot find emotions there. They show pictures too which you immediately see. But I don't turn back to add more or apply more pictures.
Do you plan an exhibition abroad in the future?
Of course. I would love to be able to present my work outside the borders and I hope this dream will come true one day. What I want to do next is a long-term exhibition where people can see how an art piece is born, and witness the emotions and the efforts that are invested in it. After that I will focus on presenting my work somewhere abroad.
Thank you for the lovely interview Anzelika!
You can see more of Anzelika's work on her FB page and her website
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