Lili Vladimirova's biography

1967 Born on 21 February in Botevgrad, Region of Sofia, the younger daughter of physicists Zlatka and Marin Vasilev.

1974 Nikola Vaptsarov Primary School, Botevgrad, where her talent was discovered and encouraged by art teacher Veselin Ivanov.

1982 Under the guidance of her primary school art teacher and with her father’s support, admitted to Iliya Petrov Fine Arts Academy in Sofia. Early creative projects set her firmly on the path to artistic excellence.

1984 Stanislav Dospevky Scholarship; a number of group, thematic or individual exhibitions in Bulgaria and abroad.

1986 Exhibition of her paintings in the Community Cultural Centre in her home town – Botevgrad in tribute to her parents and her first art teacher who gave her the chance she needed on the way to her big break. Graduated from the Fine Arts Academy with full honours.

1987-1989 Experiments in various genres and media, such as textile, oil painting, graphic art, and mosaics, developing a preference for large-scale or ‘monumental’ painting revealing a strikingly individual style.

1989 Admitted to the National Fine Arts Academy for a degree in Monumental Painting in Professor Dimo Zaimov’s class.

1991 While still a student at the Fine Arts Academy, won a commission to paint the nave icons in the Church of St. Great Martyr George the Victorious in Sofia.

1994 Following her highly acclaimed work in the nave, commissioned with the blessing of the Church Council to paint the Baptism of Jesus fresco-secco in the baptistery of the same church.

1995 Won a commission with the blessing of the Church Board of Trustees to paint a set of scenes based on the life of the Virgin Mary in the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the village of Zhiten, which thus became her first fully-commissioned place of worship displaying her highly individual style.

1995 Designed and painted the scene The Prayer of the Cup above the alter of the Church of St. Elijah in the village of Golyanovtsi.

1995 Graduated from the National Fine Arts Academy with a graduation project on the topic of Music, in full contrast to all her previous work. The mural was commissioned for the Amadeus Club at the National Palace of Culture in Sofia and won her the highest academic distinction.

1997 First individual exhibition under the title Christianity at the Athens Agios Georgios Gallery. All 21 icons on display were purchased.

1997-1998 Commissioned to paint the ceiling frescos in the Unison private residence in Sofia.

1998 Took a hiatus and gave birth to her first child.

2000 Gave birth to her second child.

2002 Staged an exhibition under the title Spirituality  in Belgrade. The hagiographic icons on display were highly appreciated by the Serbian public.

2008 Won a commission for the altarpiece in the Church of the Dormition of the Mother of God in the village of Osikovska Lakavitsa, with the blessing of Metropolitan Bishop Gavriil of Lovech.

2010 Donated the icon Christ Great Archiereus for the patriarchal throne at the Etropol Monastery of the St. Trinity, blessed and sanctified by Metropolitan Bishop Gavriil of Lovech.

2011 Exhibited 15 icons under the title Illumination in Ohrid, Republic of Macedonia.

Awarded the St. Naum Memorial Tablet by the St. Naum Monastery in Ohrid.

The icons were purchased by a Greek patron based in Toronto who donated them to an Eastern Orthodox temple in Canada.

2014 Founded the Nuance Art Gallery and inaugurated it with an exhibition under the title Faith of 47 icons painted in the last few years. The exact repetition of established models not being her purpose, Lilly Vladimirova looked for her own expressive idiom within the broad confines of tradition to create works that communicate with the complex sensibilities of contemporary viewers. The exhibition was highly praised by Professor Paskaleva and Professor Popov, both established authorities on religious iconography.

2015 Continued efforts to establish her Gallery as a home for artists and audiences, exhibiting both classical and contemporary art. Started the Contemporary Art Competition to promote young artists. To date, the Nuance Gallery has successfully staged 68 exhibitions.

Lilly Vladimirova’s works (murals and icons) are owned by more than 15 Orthodox temples in Bulgaria, Greece and Romania.

Her icons are found in private collections in:

Bulgaria, Greece, France, Italy, Germany, Austria, Croatia, USA, Canada, Serbia, Macedonia, Russia, Moldova, Romania, South Africa, Turkey, Japan.

Lilly Vladimirova is married and the mother of two boys. As an amateur sportswoman she has notable achievements in riding and diving.