Silvia Vassileva took her first art class when she was twelve years old in her native Bulgaria. From that time she knew where her destiny would lead and she never wavered.

"After my first lesson, there was no doubt about what I wanted to do. I never changed my mind!" Silvia pursued her love of art at the Academy of Fine Art in Sofia where she attained her bachelor's and master's degrees. She then spent six years painting and exhibiting her work in Japan before moving to California, where she now lives with her husband and two children.

Silvia's home studio, which she designed herself, is bright, contemporary and minimalistic. Large windows offer unobstructed views of her picturesque gardens. "It is so inspiring. Whenever I paint I feel like a twenty-year-old art student in my small Sofia attic with skylights." Music plays an important role in her work, both as subject matter and inspiration. She paints to the melodies of Mozart, Beethoven and Vivaldi and enjoys New Age as well.

Influenced by Japanese woodblock prints, Renaissance Masters, French Impressionists and Picasso, Silvia describes her style as very free and bold. "I love contrast, sudden changes of color, unusual color palettes…everything that makes a painting ALIVE." The result is an irresistible sense of exuberance and joie de vivre in her work.

While Silvia says she is proud of her past accomplishments, she promises that the best is yet to come. Based on the momentum of her success, there seems little question that this prophecy will fulfill itself!