Elena Popova

Artist's Statement:

I was born in 1961 in Sofia, Bulgaria. I grew up under te artistic wing of my father, who was a sculptor and my mentor. My memories of those early years are of long conversations adn formative advice, coming from my father and his many artistic colleagues. Only recently have I begun to understand how the spiritual atmosphere that embraced me in my youth, has played a crucial role in my development as an artist

I started to paint seriously when I was eleven, Two years later I began my formal artistic training; 5 years at the National High School of Fine Arts and 6 years at the Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia, where I earned a Bachelar of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts. By the age of 24 I was becoming a successful young painter in my native land and was honoured bu having my work included in the collection of the Bulgarian National Gallery

In 1990, I came to Canada with my husband Luben Boykov and our infant daughter, Ana. As fate would have it we landed in Newfoundland, the Eastern most province of Canada. During the first years in Canada, the delicate threads connecting the roots of my past with my new homeland were sometimes broken. It took a long time before I could fuse the song of the one with the distant thunder of the other. This fusion gives me the sense of harmony and balance that I need to express through painting.

The technique of Monotype was, for me, a fortunate discovery. I am charmed by it, because it allows me to express spontaneously adn intuitively my visions. When I am painting I hold my breathe, my body vibrates adn time disappears. All the time becomes one moment which I try to capture by becoming one with the it. Sometimes I am made of pain, I see myself crying over the human drama, other times, harmony, hope and faith fill my heart. These states make me paint, vibrate and sense of life to the fullest.

Back to Elena Popova artwork

Selected Exhibitions

2006 - Presenting: , three artist show, Leyton Gallery St. John s, NL
2005 - Looks Good On Paper , Leyton Gallery St. John s, NL
2004 - Summer Dance , Leyton Gallery St. John s, NL
2002 - Scattered Seeds , group exhibition at the James Baird Gallery St. John s, NL
2001 - Scattered Seeds , group exhibition at the "Shipka 6" Gallery of the Association of Bulgarian Artists, Sofia, Bulgaria
2001 - Two artists' exhibition at Michele Golia Gallery, Orvieto, Italy
2001 - To Stretch the Night  - collaborative artist book with Luben Boykov and Tara Bryan at the Art Gallery of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Canada
2001 - "Marion McCain Exhibition", travelling exhibition at Dalhousie Art Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia; London Regional Gallery, London, Ontario; Mendell Art Gallery, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
2000 - "Elena and Luben", two artists' exhibition at the Cordell Taylor Gallery, Salt Lake City, UTAH, USA

2000 - "Marion McCain Atlantic Art Exhibition", at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, Fredericton, New Brunswick
2000 - "Through Women's Eyes: 12 Artists in Newfoundland David Ariss Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia
2000 - "Currents", solo exhibition at David Ariss Gallery, St. John s, NL
1998 - "Dwelling", two person exhibition at Eastern Edge Gallery, St. John s, NL
1998 - "Monotypes 98", solo exhibition at Christina Parker Gallery, St. John s, NL
1997 - Gallery artists' exhibition at Christina Parker Gallery, St. John s, NL
1990 - Images , group exhibition at the LSPU Hall, St. John's, NL
1990 - Group exhibition at City Hall, St. John s, NL
1989 - International Biennale of Young Painters, Sofia, Bulgaria
1988 - International Young Painters' exhibition at the University of Marly-le Roy, France
1986 - "Directions", group exhibition, National Palace of Culture, Sofia, Bulgaria