Short Bio

Lyudmila Tomova is an award-winning artist, well recognized nationally and internationally for her unique impressionist style. Currently, she paints figures, portraits, murals and landscapes in oil, watercolor and acrylic. She merges abstract and realistic elements together to create mood, movement and an impression of the world around and within us. Her painting style adds spontaneity, boldness and elegance all at once telling magical stories and evoking complex emotions. Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, Lyudmila immigrated to the US in 1990 and lived in New York City working as a full-time painter, editorial illustrator and designer, exhibiting nationally and abroad.

Statement

“Everything moves, even a rock. The ever-changing states in man and nature are a constant source of inspiration for my work. I begin each painting with a single word in mind –ocean, bull, sky, light –and finish it with an almost abstract version of it. A fleeting moment is captured and transformed by means of rules and omissions, acceptance and refusal, luring the viewer round and round in circles. The brush strokes are moving, pushing, emerging and overwhelming, but never still and quiet. I paint alla prima using acrylic, watercolor, enamel or ink. I’ve been painting en plein air since I was a teen. It is the most exhilarating artistic expression that makes me connect to all.”

Biography

Lyudmila Tomova has been well recognized nationally and internationally with numerous awards for her masterfully executed work. Currently, she paints figures, portraits, murals and landscapes in various mediums in a unique expressive style. Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, Lyudmila immigrated to the US in 1990 and lived in New York City working as a full-time painter, editorial illustrator and designer, exhibiting nationally and abroad. Her strong education in Classical realism from the Sofia’s Academy of Fine Arts and later from FIT in New York where she studied Illustration, as well as her diverse artistic experience has helped her establish herself as one of the most versatile and prolific artists in the Triangle. She was nominated as an Emerging Woman 2016 by the EWNC and was personally recognized at the NC Museum of Art where the first of her “Butterfly Women” series was unveiled. Her work as been juried into numerous national and international exhibitions such as, 2020 NC Annual Artist exhibition at CAM, MOWS International Juried Exhibitions in Barcelona, Spain and Qingdao, China, The 1st International Watercolor Society Biennale in Vancouver, Canada, The 2nd IWS Triennale in Bulgaria, many juried exhibitions by the WFWS and others. She was also accepted into the North Light Books’ watercolor competitions Splash 20: Creative Composition and Splash 18: Value | Light + Dark, part of the Splash: Best of Watercolor series for the ArtistsNetwork and in North Light Books’ drawing competition Strokes of Genius 8: Expressive Texture. Lyudmila resides in Cary and teaches watercolor, oil, acrylic and drawing workshop in various locations in North Carolina. She served as a co-director of the Watercolor Society NC Central Region for 3 years and is currently a representative for the USA with the Global Association of Watercolor Artists (GAWA). Lyudmila is also a Signature member of the Watercolor Societies of NC, GA and the Southwestern Watercolor Society.
 
“In my work I merge abstract and realistic elements together to create mood, movement and an impression of the world around and within us. My brush strokes are moving, pushing, emerging and overwhelming, but never still and quiet. In my recent work I paint alla prima style adding spontaneity, boldness and elegance all at once. I paint loosely telling magical stories and evoking complex emotions.”

Resume / CV

2020
  • 311 Gallery – “Flowers, Faces and Facades”, Raleigh, NC (4-person show)
  • National Watercolor Society “100 Years” National Exhibition (group juried show)
  • Halle Cultural Center, Apex – “Apotheosis”, Aug. 1 – Sept. 11 (solo show)
  • LazyDaze Festival, Cary, NC, 2020/ 2021 – Featured Artist
  • Durham Art Guild 66th Annual Juried Exhibition! Sept. 4 or 7 – Oct. 10 (group juried show)
  • 57th Southwestern Annual Exhibition, Blue House Too Gallery in Allen, TX from Sept 2 to Oct 3 (group juried show)
  • 9th Annual FVDA En Plein Air Paint-Off, July 20, Fuquay-Varina, NC, (2nd Place Award)
  • FALC Annual exhibition at Page Walker Historical Center, March, (3rd Place Award)
  • 1st Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition in the Animal/Wildlife category, June (top 10 finalist)
  • WSNC 2020 Annual Juried Exhibition, Oct. 4 – Nov. 21 (group juried show)
  • 2020 Raleigh Fine Arts Society’s NC Annual Juried Artists Exhibition at CAM, Feb – June (group juried show)
  • Litmus Gallery, “Urban Saga” – 3-person exhibit – Feb – June 2020
  • North Ridge Country Club Annual Juried Exhibition Gala – Feb. (1st Place Award)
  • Louisiana Watercolor Society’s 50th International Exhibition – May (group juried show)
  • Bond Park Community Center, “ZIP 27519”, Jan – Feb 2020 (3-person show)
  • 2020 41st Georgia Watercolor Society Juried National Exhibition – March – April (group juried show)
  • Missouri Watercolor 2020 International Exhibition, Feb – June, Barcelona, Spain (group juried show)
 
2019
  • Paint Out event in Hillsborough “Paint it Orange”, NC, Nov.  – (People’s Choice award)
  • Frank Creech Gallery, “Artistry”, Nov – (Solo show)
  • II International Triennial Watercolor Exhibition of IWS in Bulgaria ′The Spirit of Watercolor”, Traveling juried show to 8 cities (group juried show)
  • NC State Fair 2019, Aug (3rd place)
  • Barnes Corner Gallery, Wilson, NC – Featured artist solo show, Oct. – Nov. (solo show)
  • 2019 Watercolor Society NC Annual Juried Exhibition, Imperial Center of Rocky Mount, NC, Nov. – (achieved Signature Member status and Jack and Georgia Newton Memorial Award)
  • Litmus Gallery “Anything Goes” Annual Juried Show Oct., Raleigh, NC
  • 2019 Center for Contemporary Art National Juried Competition in Abilene, TX, Sept 2019. (Best of Show Award)
  • 2019 Clayton Art Faire, Clayton, NC, Sept. – (Honorable Mention)
  • Halle Cultural Arts Center, “Art Has no Boundaries”, Sept. (3-person show)
  • Theater Art Galleries juried exhibit “Art Meets Form” in High Point, NC, Aug.  (2nd place award)
  • 2019 Missouri Watercolor Society International Exhibition, St. Louis Artists Guild Gallery in Clayton, July, (Signature membership status and Princeton Elite Brushes award)
  • Watercolor Society NC, “Intrinsic”, Alamance Art Gallery in Graham, July 2019 (group juried show)
    2019 Town of Cary Plein Air Paint Out, June (People’s Choice Award)
  • Annual Paint the Town Competition, Clayton, NC – June (1st Place Award)
  • GAWA Annual International Watercolor Online Contest – (Among 50 best e-certificate Award)
  • Fuquay-Varina En Plein Air Paint Out, Fuquay-Varina, NC, May (2nd Place Award)
  • 2019 Durham Arts Guild Annual Juried Exhibition, Sun Trust Gallery, Durham, NC (group juried show)
  • 2019 Wendell’s Art Walk Plein Air Event, Wendell, May (1st Place Award)
  • 2019 ArtFields National Juried Exhibition, Lake City, SC, Apr. – May
  • Litmus gallery, “Exposed” Juried exhibition, Raleigh, NC, Apr. – June
  • Unity Center of Peace, Chapel Hill, NC, April – (solo show)
    GWS 40th National Juried Exhibition, Bowen Center for the Arts, Dawsonville, GA, March – (Signature Membership Award)
  • “Boot & Blues” for Cary Visual Art, April (fundraiser show)
  • Southern Watercolor Juried Society’s 42nd Annual Exhibition, Mar – July (group juried show)
  • Semans and Allenton Galleries of the Durham Arts Council Juried exhibition “Portraits of Durham”, Durham, NC, March (group juried show)
  • Express library, Raleigh, NC March (solo show)
  • 49th LWS International Exhibition, New Orleans, NC May 4 – 24 (group juried show)
  • 2nd Annual Women Artists Art Exhibition at Fusion Art, Feb. (Honorable Mention Award)
  • 44th Annual Western Federation of Watercolor Societies Exhibition, San Diego, CA (group juried show)
 
2018
  • Litmus Gallery and Studios “Anything Goes” Juried Exhibition, Raleigh, NC, Dec. (Merit Award)
  • Fine Art League of Cary Juried Annual Exhibition, Page Walker Center, Cary, NC Dec. (Honorable Mention Award)
  • Cary Gallery of Artists Gallery, Central Region Watercolor Society NC “Intensity”, Cary, NC, Dec. (group juried show)
  • Watercolor Society Of North Carolina Permanent Collection Exhibit at Duke Eye Center, Nov. (group juried show)
  • Orange County Arts Commission “Paint It Orange” Paint Out,
Hillsborough, NC, Nov. (Honorable Mention and People’s Choice Award)
  • Golden Belt Art Walk, Durham, NC, Oct. (group juried show)
  • At Carrboro Town Hall, Carrboro, NC, Oct. (group juried show)
  • WSNC Annual Juried Exhibition, West Jefferson, NC, Oct. (Permanent Collection and Jack Richeson Award)
  • Clayton Visual Arts Center, Clayton, NC, Oct. (2-person show)
  • Reflections Gallery, WakeMed in Cary, NC, Sept. (solo show)
  • MOWS International Exhibition, Laotian Museum, Qingdao, China, July (group juried show)
  • Skylines, Clayton, NC, Aug. 2018 (solo show)
  • 38th San Diego Watercolor Society International Exhibition, San Diego, NC, May (group juried show)
  • Town of Cary Plein Air Paint Out, Cary, NC, June (Best Figurative Representation Award)
  • 23rd FALC juried exhibition at Page Walker History Center, Cary, NC (3rd Place Award)
  • Artspace, Raleigh, NC, May (People’s Choice Award)
  • Fuquay-Varina Paint Out, May (1st Place Award)
  • WSNC Central Region “Coalesce”, Raleigh, NC, May (group juried show) 
  • Litmus Gallery and Studios “Exposed” Juried Exhibition, Raleigh, NC, March 2 (group juried show)
  • 2018 For the Love of Art Auction & Gala, VAE Raleigh, NC, Jan 2018 (Fundraiser show)
  • Hillsborough Gallery of Art, “Resolutions”, Hillsborough, NC, Jan (juried show)
 
2017
  • WSNC Central Region Exhibition, Halle Art Center, NC Sept. (People’s Choice Award)
  • Annual Georgia Watercolor Society Juried Exhibition, Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, Aug. (3rd Place Award)
  • WSNC Central Region, “Effervescent” exhibit, Halle Center, Apex, NC, July (group juried show)
  • Town of Wendell Plein Air Competition, Wendell, NC, June (1st place Award)
  • 4th Town of Cary Plein Air Paint Out, Cary, NC, June (2nd Place award)
  • Unitarian Universalist Church in Chapel Hill, “Oceans ad Moods”, May (solo show)
  • Fuquay-Varina Plein Air Paint Out, April (2nd Place Award)
  • Village Art Circle gallery “The Color of Light” , Cary, NC, March (2-person show)
  • NC Museum of Art “Emerging Women Bow Tie and Butterfly Gala”, Raleigh, NC, March (selected featured artist presentation)
  • NC Museum of Art, CVA Art Gala, Raleigh, NC, Feb (fundraiser show)
  • Village Art Circle Gallery, Cary, NC – “Remnants of Great Spirit” (solo show)
  • Industrious Offices, Raleigh, NC – May 2 – June 30 (solo show)
  • Sertoma Art Center Hall Gallery – May 1 – June 30 (solo show)
  • Southern Watercolor Society 39th SW Annual Juried Exhibition, Pryor Gallery, Columbia, TN – May 9 – June 28 (group juried show)
  • IWS 1st International Watercolor Biennial, Toronto, Canada (group juried show)
 
2016
  • Appetite 4 Art Auction and Gala (to benefit the Boys & Girls Club) – Raleigh’s Contemporary Art Museum (CAM) – April 9
  • “Winter in New York” has been selected for publication in North Light Books’ Splash 18: Value | Light + Dark edited by Rachel Rubin Wolf. It’s part of the Splash: Best of Watercolor series for the ArtistsNetwork!
  • Fuquay-Varina’s En Plein Air paint-off – April 15-April 16 – Fuquay-Varina, NC
  • 2016 Georgia Watercolor Society National Exhibition – March 13 to April 30, Bowen Center for the Arts, Dawsonville, GA (group juried show)
  • Room 100, sponsored by the Durham Art Guild – solo exhibition – “Aqueous” – Feb 5 (solo show)
  • Nicole’s Studio & Art Gallery – “Figures & Faces with a Personal Flair” – Feb 5 (featured 4-artist show)
 
2015 and Prior
  • Selected for North Light Books’ 2015 drawing competition Strokes of Genius 8: Expressive Texture!
  • North East Watercolor Society 39th Annual International Juried Exhibition (group juried show)
  • 52nd SouthWestern Watercolor Society Annual Membership Juried Show, Richardson, Texas (Jack Richeson Award)
  • Illustrious, Durham Art Guild, juried exhibition at SunTrust Gallery, Durham, NC (group juried show)
  • Cary’s 2nd Annual en Plein Air Auction and Gala – (People’s Choice Award and an Honorable Mention for “The Serendipity”)
  • FRESH, Art Space, Raleigh, NC (group juried show)
  • ROYGBIV, VAE, Raleigh, NC (group juried show)
  • BB&T Mayfair, Cary, NC (solo show)
  • Searstone, Cary, NC (solo show)
  • Glenaire, Cary, NC (group show)
  • Cary Ballet Conservatory, Cary, NC (group show)
  • 300 Building Ashville Ave, Cary, NC (group show)
  • Fonville Morisey, Cary, NC (group show)
  • 2015 DAG Members’ Showcase, SunTrust Gallery, Durham, NC (group juried show)
  • 2015 FALC Juried Annual Show Exhibition, Page-Walker Art and History Center – Cary, NC (Jill Wise Honor Award, group juried show)
  • The Durham Art Guild’s 21st Annual Sweet Arts Art Auction & Fundraiser, SunTrust Gallery, Durham, NC (group juried show)
  • Daily Transactions, Bond Park Community Center, Cary, NC (solo show)
  • Appetite for Distraction, Acme ArtWorks, Chicago, IL (solo show)
  • Soul Tantrums (solo exhibition), Golding Gallery, NYC, NY (solo show)
  • Winter Interludes, Macy Gallery at the Westchester Medical Center, NY (group juried show)
  • Japanese Print Exhibit, Brooklyn Botanical Garden, NY (group juried show)
  • French-American Friendship, World Trade Center, NYC (group juried show)
  • Generation Next, Limelight, NYC, NY (group juried show)
  • 18th Annual Exhibition, National Arts Club, NY (group juried show)