Silvia Dimitrova
Encyclopedia
Silvia Dimitrova (born 1970) in Pleven
) is an icon
painter
. She won a place at the prestigious School of Applied Arts at Troyan
at the age of 13. She graduated in 1989. She then studied icon painting in Sofia
under the tuition of Georgi Tchouchev, the grand master of Bulgarian icons, and was invited to exhibit her work in Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
, Sofia
, amongst the elite group of icon painters.
She held a successful solo exhibition in Paris, in the Cultural Centre Edmond Rostand, Rueil-Malmaison
in 1997. In the spring of 1999 she was commissioned by Downside Abbey
to paint the Icon of St Benedict, Wells
. At the beginning of 2000 Silvia worked as an artist-in-residence at Wells Cathedral
with a commission to paint the Fourteen Stations of the Cross
as a project for the Millennium
. In the same year she was married, in Wells Cathedral
, to Simon Potter, a house master at Downside School
, Somerset
. During this time she was also nominated and shortlisted for the European Women of Achievement Awards 2000 for contributions to the Arts. Since then Silvia has been working on both private and public commissions including St Paul's Cathedral
, London and Hertford College, Oxford
.
She works in the traditional technique of icon painting - egg tempera on wood, and her work covers the whole spectrum of traditional Bulgarian icons and original works.
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
Dom David Foster O.S.B
"Her pictures embrace joyously colourful patterns, magical symbolism and deep serenity. They articulate a world of inner light and love, of a poetically mystical life that is both of nature and of humanity. It is an inspirational view of a painter who uses her ancient national traditions to celebrate the beauty and joys of life within the contemporary world."
Richard Leachman – Artworlds.
"Silvia's paintings are on the theme of love and have all the richness, intensity and exuberance of her own personality. Her immediate success is only the beginning of what we believe will be a highly successful career."
Ian Courcoux – Courcoux & Courcoux.
Pleven
Pleven is the seventh most populous city in Bulgaria. Located in the northern part of the country, it is the administrative centre of Pleven Province, as well as of the subordinate Pleven municipality...
) is an icon
Icon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
. She won a place at the prestigious School of Applied Arts at Troyan
Troyan
Troyan is a town in Lovech Province in central Bulgaria with population of 21,997 inhabitants, as of December 2009,. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Troyan Municipality. The town is about 160 km away from the country capital Sofia. The nearest civilian airport is Gorna...
at the age of 13. She graduated in 1989. She then studied icon painting in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
under the tuition of Georgi Tchouchev, the grand master of Bulgarian icons, and was invited to exhibit her work in Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral may refer to various Eastern Orthodox cathedrals, all named after Russian saint Alexander Nevsky:* Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Baku in Azerbaijan * Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Belgrade in Serbia...
, Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, amongst the elite group of icon painters.
She held a successful solo exhibition in Paris, in the Cultural Centre Edmond Rostand, Rueil-Malmaison
Rueil-Malmaison
Rueil-Malmaison is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department of France. It is located 12.6 kilometers from the center of Paris.-Name:...
in 1997. In the spring of 1999 she was commissioned by Downside Abbey
Downside Abbey
The Basilica of St Gregory the Great at Downside, commonly known as Downside Abbey, is a Roman Catholic Benedictine monastery and the Senior House of the English Benedictine Congregation. One of its main apostolates is a school for children aged nine to eighteen...
to paint the Icon of St Benedict, Wells
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
. At the beginning of 2000 Silvia worked as an artist-in-residence at Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
with a commission to paint the Fourteen Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
as a project for the Millennium
Millennium
A millennium is a period of time equal to one thousand years —from the Latin phrase , thousand, and , year—often but not necessarily related numerically to a particular dating system....
. In the same year she was married, in Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
, to Simon Potter, a house master at Downside School
Downside School
Downside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
. During this time she was also nominated and shortlisted for the European Women of Achievement Awards 2000 for contributions to the Arts. Since then Silvia has been working on both private and public commissions including St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, London and Hertford College, Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
.
She works in the traditional technique of icon painting - egg tempera on wood, and her work covers the whole spectrum of traditional Bulgarian icons and original works.
Notable Exhibitions & Commissions
1997- Centre Culturel Edmond RostandEdmond RostandEdmond Eugène Alexis Rostand was a French poet and dramatist. He is associated with neo-romanticism, and is best known for his play Cyrano de Bergerac. Rostand's romantic plays provided an alternative to the naturalistic theatre popular during the late nineteenth century...
, Paris, France
2001
- Courcoux & Courcoux, StockbridgeStockbridge, HampshireStockbridge is a small town and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It has an acreage of and a population of little under 600 people according to the 2001 census in Hampshire, England. It lies on the River Test, in the Test Valley district and renowned for trout fishing. The A30 road goes through...
2002
- London Art Fair, IslingtonIslingtonIslington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
- St Bede Centre, Downside SchoolDownside SchoolDownside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
- Courcoux & Courcoux, StockbridgeStockbridge, HampshireStockbridge is a small town and civil parish in Hampshire, England. It has an acreage of and a population of little under 600 people according to the 2001 census in Hampshire, England. It lies on the River Test, in the Test Valley district and renowned for trout fishing. The A30 road goes through...
2003
- London Art Fair, London
- Courcoux & Courcoux, HampshireHampshireHampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
- St Mary, IslingtonIslingtonIslington is a neighbourhood in Greater London, England and forms the central district of the London Borough of Islington. It is a district of Inner London, spanning from Islington High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the area around the busy Upper Street...
, London - Bath Society of Artists, Victoria Art Gallery, Bath
- Art Seiller galerie, St Paul de Vence, France
2004
- Mas d’Artigny, St Paul de Vence, France
- L’Espace Int. Sculpture et Beaux-Arts, OrléansOrléans-Prehistory and Roman:Cenabum was a Gallic stronghold, one of the principal towns of the Carnutes tribe where the Druids held their annual assembly. It was conquered and destroyed by Julius Caesar in 52 BC, then rebuilt under the Roman Empire...
, France - St Mary,Yatton, BristolBristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
2005
- Wells Cathedral, WellsWellsWells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
- Edgar Modern fine art, Bath
Comments on Dimitrova's art
"Silvia's icons express the continuing vitality of an ancient tradition of religious art. Following the rules of her discipline, their colour and attention to detail bring the saints and the mysteries of our faith to life in our own day. Her first icon in this country, the icon of St Benedict, was a new departure bringing Eastern iconography to a fresh understanding of the life of the patron of Western monasticism."Dom David Foster O.S.B
"Her pictures embrace joyously colourful patterns, magical symbolism and deep serenity. They articulate a world of inner light and love, of a poetically mystical life that is both of nature and of humanity. It is an inspirational view of a painter who uses her ancient national traditions to celebrate the beauty and joys of life within the contemporary world."
Richard Leachman – Artworlds.
"Silvia's paintings are on the theme of love and have all the richness, intensity and exuberance of her own personality. Her immediate success is only the beginning of what we believe will be a highly successful career."
Ian Courcoux – Courcoux & Courcoux.
External links
- Silvia Dimitrova: The Sacred and The Secular - Official website for Silvia Dimitrova
- Silvia Dimitrova: Foreword by Ian Courcoux
- Anglican Diocese of St Paul