"Inside" Painting

Stanislava Getova, known by her artistic pseudonym Smokini, is a painter, illustrator, art teacher, and fantasy novelist.

From an early age, she was encouraged by her mother to develop her artistic talent. She was accepted into Bulgaria’s most prestigious fine arts school — the National School of Fine Arts “Ilia Petrov” — and graduated as one of the thirteen top students in her class.

Smokini then ventured into the world of animated cinema, earning her degree from New Bulgarian University, where she studied under some of the luminaries of Bulgarian animation, including Anri Kulev, Ivan Veselinov, Todor Dukov, and Anton Trayanov. Her graduation short film, 'Point of melting", was selected for the official program of the Czech festival AniFest, where it received enthusiastic acclaim from audiences.

Smokini is widely recognized for her children’s book illustrations, collaborating with American and Jewish authors. She has participated in numerous exhibitions, including her second solo show, Fantastic Worlds, held at the prestigious Contrast Gallery in Sofia. There, she presented graphic drawings created specifically for her fantasy novel Philip and the Sandship. The exhibition also featured works by her art students, who offered their own graphic interpretations of Philip’s story.

For the past seven years, Smokini has led a classical drawing school for children and adults. In 2023, she successfully completed a master’s degree in Pedagogy and Semiotics of Visual Arts at Bulgaria’s oldest university — Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. This academic achievement deepened her understanding of the educational process in visual arts and enriched her teaching practice.

Smokini loves to experiment in her art. She identifies primarily as a graphic artist and surrealist, but in the past year has become captivated by modern art — especially the work of Jackson Pollock. She is drawn to intuitive painting for its “out-of-the-box” approach, its reliance on inner voice, and the physical freedom of movement that brings relaxation and spontaneity to the creative process.

Her baroque-inspired still lifes also deserve mention, where she explores contrast, the beauty of form, and the tactile elegance of objects.

Take a moment to explore this multifaceted artist. Choose one of her works — it will speak to you daily with warmth, charged with deep energy and intelligence.