My debut in 1998 was an exhibition with drawings made in the technique of ink, lavis, and dry brush on paper. Since 2005 I have been working with oil techniques on canvas.
Born in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, living and working in France, and currently in the USA, being an artist for more than 25 years, I built imperceptibly a parallel world, intriguing and provoking me with endlessly interesting stories, personages, and inspiring pictures of life.
Mariana Kalacheva is a prize-winning artist based in the United States whose artwork can be found in multiple private, city, and corporate collections from California, New York, and Miami in the US to Monaco, France, Spain, Austria, Taiwan, Portugal, Italy, Bulgaria, Belgium, and Turkey.
Education: Master’s Degree – Graphics, 2003 – Graduates from the AMDFA – The Art Academy in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, as well as Pedagogy and Methodology of Fine Arts.
In 2017 – she became a Member of the Art Council, in Baton Rouge,
In 2020 – she became a member of the AWA Association of women artists in the same city.
She lives in Nice, France between 2010 and 2016, and later she moves to the USA.
Mariana has been working as a professional artist for nearly 25 years. Her styles can be easy-recognizable as naïve art and figurative art. She has dozens of group and solo exhibitions and she gets inspiration through traveling and discovering unknown cultures.
Kalacheva’s vibrant compositions are a mixture of light, images, patterns, texture, color, and figuration, which are all related to naïve art, art nouveau, secession, pop art, and surrealism. She encourages the viewer to have fun, experience, touch, or dream through her art pieces.
Recently, she works with the so-called 3D art techniques, made of incorporated materials like structured pouring gels, pastes, and adhesive papers on canvas or wooden panels. The objects of her impressions are the silhouettes of women in dazzling feminine dresses, delicate flowers, or vivid houses.
Mariana’s masterpieces are hugely accessible and continue to leave a lasting warmth and purifying energy on her client’s residencies.
Master’s degree in Education in Fine Arts /Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts/ – Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Speciality “Graphics” under the guidance of Prof. Vladimir Genadiev and “Pedagogy of Fine Arts” under the guidance of Prof. Bisser Damyanov.
Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts /Academy of Music, Dance and Fine Arts/ – Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Specialty “Graphics” under the guidance of Prof. Vladimir Genadiev
Solo Exhibitions:
2023 – “The Spirit of The Sun” – Exhibition with paintings in Bagrena Gallery, Chicago, IL
2017 – “Whimsical” – Exhibition with paintings in Caffery Gallery, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
2017 – “To tame” – Exhibition with paintings and ink drawings in P.A.R.K.Store gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2016 – “Spring Art Aleys” – Exhibition with paintings in Splendid Hotel & Spa; Nice, France
2016 – “Alisa”, Bibliotheque Municipale & Association Menton-Sotchi, Menton; France
2012 – “Air Bridges”, Le Papillon Gallery, Varna, Bulgaria
2012 – Exhibition in art Gallery ” ‘t hof te puttens”, Lede, Belgium
2012 – “A Recipe for Magic”, Gildo Pastor Centre Art Gallery, Monaco
2011 – “A Recipe for Magic”, Jorj Papazoff Gallery and Novotel Plovdiv, Bulgaria /painting/
2010 – “Colorful Stories”, Bulgarian Culture Institute “House Wittgenstein”, Vienna, Austria /painting/
2009 – “15 x 5″ – project by Lyubena Hadzhiyska, /AAP/
2007 – “77” – an exhibition of artists, born in 1977. – “Art Plus”, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2007 – Krapetz Plain air, Municipality of Shabla, Bulgaria
2007 – “Love and Wine”, Tourist Information Center, Hissar, Bulgaria
2006 – “Annual Exhibition” Common of the Association of the artists in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2005 – XVII International Bienal of Humor and Satire – Gabrovo, Bulgaria
2004 – Curator of the project “Exhibition of the Young Artists” – /AAP/
2004 – Fourth International Triennial of Graphic Arts – Sofia, Bulgaria
2004 – Representative exhibition of graphic artists from Plovdiv, “Culture Centre”- Nis, Serbia
1998 – “The surrealism in Plovdiv”, “Vazrazhdane” gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Awards:
2008 – Prize for the National Competition “Words in Color”, Pazardzhik, Bulgaria
2010 – Young Artist’s Prize by the Association of the Artists in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2015 – Awarded in the International competition Art Revolution- Art Fair, Taipei, Taiwan
Projects:
1998 – 2002 – Illustrator of fantasy magazine “Zona F” by general editing of Agop Melkonyan, Bulgaria
2002 – 2003 – “Chitalishte Vazrazhdane – Plovdiv” by “Chitaliste Project” whose goal is to strengthen the community role of the Chitalishte as traditional cultural and educational centers in Bulgaria. Provided by (UNDP), MATRA, and (USAID) developing programs.
05. 2013 – Pediatric department of the Hospital in Sicily: painted wall composition by the picture “ The tightrope dancer” /The project is made by the director of the department Domenico Cipolla.
23-27. 05.2013 – LA Balkan Fest 2013 ‘Supports I Can Too / Petro Dushkov: П.Ч.Е.Л.А & MAHALATA – Los Angeles/USA
12.2013 – Illustrator for the story “The Dream of a grain of sand” – by Victoria Levi- Rueven
01.2014 – “Suggestopedic course for harmonious relationships with our children” organized by Vihrovenia –Centre of classical suggestopedy, Bulgaria
29. May.2015 – FALCON YACHTS – Open day of Art exhibition & Buffet cocktail served on board of the motor yacht in Port Canto, Cannes, France
19.06.2015 – White Russian Night –One-day exhibition, Stars n’Bars, Monaco
Certifications:
Adobe Photoshop
Adobe Illustrator
3D MAX Design
Microsoft Office
Activities and skills:
1995 -2004 Assistance- gallerist in Art gallery “Vazrazhdane”, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2004 – Curator of the project “Exhibition of the Young Artists” – /AAP/ Association of the Artists in Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2006 -2007 Assistance- gallerist in “Art Plus” – art gallery, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Other activities:
If you are willing to join yourself or your kids in my workshops, please do not hesitate to contact me at mar.kalacheva@gmail.com or at lessons.com. Thank you!
