MY JOURNEY SO FAR
Art is my life-long love and challenge.
Graduated as Master of Arts from the National Academy of Fine Arts, Sofia, I have always been in love with textile as world heritage, art and craft. I had the chance to study pattern design, contemporary tapestry design and weaving, screen printing, along with fine arts - oil painting and drawing. It was a happy extension of my early years in the National School of Applied Arts in Sofia, where my major was ‘Textile, Clothing and Accessories’.
Ever since, I am participating in major exhibitions, my art works are shown in UK, USA, Holland, Denmark, Germany, Italy and Bulgaria. In 1996 my work “Pure” was selected in a contest, organised by Coats. 1998 was the year I took part in a recycling-focused exhibition in Copenhagen with a mixed media small sculpture. In 2013 I received the First award of the National Patchwork Contest, Bulgaria, for my work “Gran Teatro del Liceo”, a wall-hanging art patchwork. The following year the Association Patchwork BG elected me as jury member of the same Contest. In October 2021 I was awarded with Lorenzo il Magnifico Second Place in Textile and Fibre art for my textile mosaic "Her Thoughts", XIII Florence Biennale. I was awarded with Honourable Mention at 'Artist of the Year' 2022 contest, organized by CFA (Circle Foundation for the Arts).
For my textile creations I mainly use recycled materials and hand dyed fabrics. One of my favourite art techniques is collage. I use it widely - in paintings, in textile art as applique and in pattern designs as cut-outs of my paintings.
For the last nine years I have been living in London. This happened to be very fruitful time for me as an artist. I exhibited at The Festival of Quilts, Birmingham in 2014, ‘15, ‘17, Art Patchwork and Art Creation categories. A lot of paintings were created during this period, some of which were exhibited at Parallax Art Fair, Kensington, JonaQuestArt Gallery, Greenwich, Holy Art Gallery. Some of my pattern designs were selected by Pattern Observer Studio and presented at Surtex, NYC and Premier Vision NYC 2018 - 19. My design work was featured at Pattern Observer blog.
I am running Milena Textile Design Studio and present my designs at Pure London, Olympia London (2018-19, 2020). I like to design for apparel, sportswear and home décor. Guidelines for my patterns are WGSN latest trends, my end user requirements and my inner sense for colour and composition.
For more information about my artwork and design, please contact milenazdravkova@gmail.com.
Or visit my Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/MilesofjoyStudio