Portfolio: Paola Minekov, Artist
As an artist, few opportunities are more exciting than an artist residency. A chance to devote oneself entirely to creating art, immersing oneself in inspiration, and honing one’s craft is a dream come true.
This past month, I had the pleasure of working at art’otel Battersea as an artist in residence. My time spent in the art studio at the hotel has been nothing short of transformative. As soon as I entered my new studio away from home, I knew that creativity was going to flow effortlessly. And indeed, it has. During the last weeks I’ve worked tirelessly to create new works of art. Inspired by the energy all around me, I felt the need to revisit my Dancers and Circus Series. These new works are bolder and brighter in colour. I deliberately chose colour palettes that are challenging to work with, but I had a blast, and I think I may have created some of my best works from the series to date.
Alongside painting my dancers, I explored the local area, taking in the stunning architecture in the Battersea Power Station area. As an avid painter of cityscapes in oil and acrylic, I was eager to take in the sights and sounds of London’s unique architecture. I spent hours wandering the streets, finding inspiration in every corner, taking photos and sketching ideas.
I soon found myself reaching for my acrylics, painting the cityscapes from my visions, memories and drawings. The resulting pieces, still work in progress, are both deeply personal and intimately connected to the surrounding environment.
But my artistic explorations didn’t stop there. This is where it gets exciting, and you can take part. Inspired by the city’s lively creative culture, I have organised a number of events to coincide with my residency.
14 February. Together with my friend, collector and local poet Claire-Louice Price, I organised a poetry evening titled When Poetry Meets Art. It was lovely to share the residency with another creative! The event provided an intimate space for guests to explore the intersection of poetry and visual art, and was a celebration of themes that enrich and inspire creative expression.
8 March 7-9 pm. Private Artwork View: art’otel Battersea is hosting a private view of my artwork in progress, giving attendees an exclusive look at my creative process. I’ve never done this before, and I hope it will give our guests a deeper understanding of my work and inspiration. RSVP here.
15 March - Uplifting Female Artists
This is an all day event celebrating women artists during International Women’s Month, in collaboration with artists from the South London Women Artists group. This day will offer visitors the chance to participate in a range of workshops, networking opportunities, and drawing sessions led by some of my fellow artists.
With a focus on women artists and their contributions, this day will provide a unique opportunity for attendees to connect with fellow artists, learn new skills and techniques, and gain insights into the art industry.
Among the confirmed artists are: Michelle Baharier, SLWA Chair, who will run an awesome Dynamic Drawing workshop, portrait painter Julie Bennett who will offer portraits on the spot, Natalie Webb - an artist whose work with movement and dancers really resonates with me and who will create expressive drawings of artists and visitors documenting the day, and yes, you’ll be able to take a sketch of yourself home, and Tanaz Assefi, an Iranian artist who will run a workshop on creativity, self expression and mark making.
Claire-Louise Price and her beautiful poems are making a comeback, too!
This will be the last day of my residency and I’d love to see you in my studio. Book your tickets to the event here.
My month at art’otel Battersea has given me the freedom to create, experiment, and expand my artistic abilities in new and unexpected ways. I will be walking out of the studio with new paintings from my Dancers and Cityscapes Series, filled with vibrant colours and deep emotions. But for now, I have another week to go and with each stroke of my brush, I am reminded why I fell in love with painting in the first place.
Paola Minekov – Artist
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