Bulgarian Folklore, Mythology, and Perspective With Artist Simona Ruscheva

I had the pleasure to speak and interview artist Simona Ruscheva as we discuss reimagining Bulgarian folklore, and mythology through her art. She details her integrating embroidery and ceramics, and delves into the current and future of symbolic motifs. 

In what ways do you  incorporate Bulgarian folklore, and mythology into your artistic creations?

I like to play with different interpretations of the folklore, so I am not constrained by the mundane of certain objects traditional use. I rather change the context, fuse it with different subjects and create a middle ground of exploration, which has its roots in my Bulgarian background, but grows further. I use various elements from embroidery, tapestry, ceramics, folk costumes, either as whole pieces or as fractions. 

How do you explore themes like cosmic creation, life cycle, and natural elements in your artworks? 

Part of that lies in the objects and elements from Bulgarian folklore I use. I always choose those that play a role in the work symbolically. I like repetition of the same symbol, so naturally it gradates and solidifies. There are recurrent subjects in my works, such as the thread, which connects the past, present and future, weaving our lives.

We are spiritual beings and I want to reflect that by the way I paint people, even if it is just a glistening inner light.

Previously in conversation you spoke about drawing inspiration from the digital aesthetic. How does this influence manifest in your visual language, particularly in terms of gradients, soft vs sharp objects, and color palettes?

I like working with contrast and opposite elements, like light and dark, smooth and textured, sharp and soft. This I find is very prominent in digital art, transforming the artificial aesthetic into a physical painting. 

While my subjects are quite traditional, the digital rendering puts them somewhere in the middle, so they end up being a fusion of both.

What role does digital manipulation play in your artistic process?

It played a substantial role in my prep process, as it saved me a lot of time during the actual painting. I always look for ways to make my work flow as efficient as possible, so this was one of them. However I have recently stopped using any manipulation and very minimal references if any, as in a way I felt restricted and dependent by this method. 

Creating multiple works at once to form a coherent body of work rather than individual pieces. How does this approach contribute to the overall impact and thematic consistency of your creations?

I find it easier to work on multiple works simultaneously, as I can focus on the overall subject from different viewpoints, which is each work. It works better to keep everything consistent, and it is better for my flow. Purely from a technical perspective, I would not need to wait for a work to dry, or sometimes I need to let it breathe for a while and come back to it with fresh eyes. Having at least 3 or 4 works rotating at a time makes them create a certain bond, as if they belong together, yet they are all different.