The Show

Meet the Artists

Your Portraits

Diliana explains to Star Portraits the differences between painting a large mural versus painting a portrait on canvas.

SP: When did you decide to become a professional artist?

DP: I think it was during my high school studies. I went to Etobicoke School of the Arts and was constantly surrounded by art and artists.

SP: Did you find attending a high school for the arts helped?

DP: It did to an extent. I mean, it helped as an artistic outlet, but I think at the end of the day it’s a decision one makes outside an institution. It’s an internal path more than anything.

SP: Painting murals are big part of your career, can you tell us more about that?

DP: My professional work as an artist started with murals. I started painting murals for a living in my early twenties. I worked for a few companies in Toronto and at that time, for someone who wasn’t even out of art school it was a dream come true. In the last couple of years I have completed a few of my own mural projects both independently and through projects sponsored by the city of Toronto.

SP: Tell us about your independent mural projects.

DP: I completed a historical mural at the University of Toronto in 2009. There is a courtyard mural for Fudger Historical House as well. Right now I am working with a youth group and we are doing two city sponsored mural projects in the city.

SP: You have also taught workshops, tell us about them.

DP: I have been teaching for quite a few years now, both workshops and private classes which I run out of my studio. I enjoy communicating what I know and developing exercises, which effectively train people in the craft of painting. I think its something I will never stop doing.

SP: Do you work a lot with kids?

DP: I have worked both with kids, young adults and adults equally.

SP: How was the experience on Star Portraits?

DP: It was a lot less frightening than I though it was going to be. I have never been on television and I was very nervous. After the first shoot I felt more comfortable - once I got to know the process and the crew. Overall it was much better than I expected.

SP: What media do you use for your work?

DP: I use primarily use oil paint when I am painting on canvases. For murals I use industrial grade products that are usually water based (acrylic). My oil painting techniques are on the more traditional side of the spectrum. The gold leaf is something I started incorporating in 2009, perhaps due to my love for Byzantine art and iconography. I wanted to play with that medium (gold leaf), and try incorporating it into a more contemporary subject matter. It is a material loaded with meaning for me.

SP: How is painting a mural different from painting a portrait on canvas?

DP: Superficially they are extremely different. The approach to the surface for a mural is a lot more mechanical, a lot more planned. You are working with proposals and sketches, which need to be approved. There is a slew of conversations which need to take place before any paint goes up on the wall. Oil painting on the other hand is completely contained. It’s just me and my own internal dialogue, my own requirements. Where the two intersect is in the understanding of colour, composition, and line...

SP: Any future plans for you and your artwork?

DP: I am going to continue painting. In the short run I am hoping to pursue a Masters’ degree in the next year or two.

SP: Do you have any upcoming exhibitions?

DP: Yes. I have my first solo exhibition at the University of Toronto Art Centre.  The show is from Thursday, November 11^th to November 28^th.

Artist Stats

Diliana Popova was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria and immigrated to Canada in 1996. She studied at The Etobicoke School of the Arts, The Academy of Realist Art and University of Toronto.  Professionally she began with mural work. Artistically her passion lies with portraiture, which comprises the majority of Diliana's work to date.

www.dilianapopova.com