On a chilly winter morning, the rising sun bathes a stylized forest, melting the darkness of night and the whiteness of snow into delicate hues. "Northern Tale" is a painting by Neli Nenkova, a Bulgarian artist living in Canada. Her work can be seen at the John B. Aird Gallery in Toronto. It is part of the annual exhibition of the Society of Ontario Artists, Toronto's oldest artists' association.

The exhibition "Colour Splash!", symbolizing the rebirth and the re-energizing colours of spring, contains 34 paintings selected from the works of over 200 artists. With her painting "Northern Tale", Neli Nenkova won the the Juror's Award of Excellence from the Ontario Society of Artists.

"It is difficult to find colour in whiteness, but through a new technique I discovered for myself, I decided to recreate a winter landscape," she told Radio Bulgaria. - In it, lines resembling trees bring the air of serenity through the sunrise in the early morning."

Artist, designer, graphic designer - Neli Nenkova discovers in her occupations the different aspects of the same creative flow. When she was ten years old, her art teacher in Dobrich noticed her talent. She later studied fine art and fashion design, and when she settled in Canada with her husband, she enrolled in graphic design.

When she graduated in graphic design, an art director accidentally saw her graphic work and illustrations and gave her her first assignment in cinema for a film on the Holmark TV channel.

"In Sudbury, where I live, the film industry is thriving, there are a lot of American productions - says Neli Nenkova - I like it because every film I'm involved in is different. For example, last year I was First Assistant Art Director of "The Protector" and I created some of the basic designs for this Canadian film, which recently won an award. I'm happy to be doing graphic design because it gives me a new way to express myself through art - not just with the brush, but digitally. And in a way it's easier, because with the computer you can go back one step, whereas working with paints it's impossible."

Another painting of hers, ''Miles of Silence'', was selected for the juried group exhibition called "Is This Real Life” last May, two years into the global pandemic, at the exhibition at Art Gallery of Sudbury.Through her canvas, she embarks on a journey into herself.

"We often only see the physical state of people, but all of us have our thoughts and experiences that remain hidden to the outside world," says the artist. - And the more I communicate, the more convinced I become that we share the same joys and sorrows, no matter where we are in the world. The pandemic proved that we, as human beings, all need love, we all need to be embraced, to support each other, to give hope to one another. In that sense, Covid-19 also had a positive side effect. Before that we had all been going with the flow, we needed to stop and look at ourselves and everyone around us. And through the painting, I chose light tones to show that there is a light despite everything."

Neli Nenkova is currently working on an art project that presents 21 women from the 21st century - "in the same pose, representing different races and minorities". Her aim is to show how we are all the same, but different, as cultural backgrounds define us. One of the portraits is of a Bulgarian woman.

"I became interested in Bulgarian costumes because they are bearers of so much information," continues Neli Nenkova, "I find similarities, for example, our embroideries have similar elements to those of the Aztecs. Maybe I will collect as many Bulgarian folklore embroideries as possible in a book, because each region has its own tradition and costume. We are different even in our little Bulgaria."

One of the artist's dreams is to return - initially through her art - to her native Dobrich, where she will hold her second solo exhibition. "I would like to come back to Bulgaria because I think I can help make our homeland even more beautiful," she says.

Photography: Neli Nenkova

English version: Elizabeth Radkova