Artist Interview: Minna George

Minna in her studio with the paintings 'Above the Clouds I & II'

Minna George is an artist whose practice is rooted in a lifelong, deeply informed relationship with landscape. Minna sold her first painting in 1994 at her debut exhibition in Sofia and has worked as a professional artist ever since.

In 1997, she was awarded the British Council Award for Best International Teen Painter, a pivotal moment that enabled her to experience UK art education and ultimately relocate to London. She has since represented Bulgaria at the 13th International Kuwait Biennale, exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery, London (2004, group exhibition), and held a solo exhibition at the iconic Mont Blanc Hotel, Chamonix in 2023. Her work is held in the permanent collection of the Kuwait Museum of Modern Art.

Minna produces a highly limited number of original plexiglass works each year—typically no more than 10–12—emphasising precision, material integrity, and rarity. In 2026, she will present work across the US and Canada, including participation in several major international art fairs.

Background & Journey

I grew up in a family that collected art from all over the world, a tradition that began with my great-grandparents. Because of my international upbringing, I felt at home in the world of art from a very young age. I was eager to learn how to paint and draw from nature as soon as I could, and entering the Sofia High School of Fine Arts at the age of 13 marked the beginning of my artistic journey and career.

At the start of my career, I was heavily influenced by the large fresco murals of the Italian Renaissance. I became deeply absorbed in learning techniques and methods for visually describing the world as I saw and felt it.

At Chelsea College of Arts, my style continued to develop as I became interested in theatre settings, installation, film, and photography. In my early twenties, I was strongly influenced by the Abstract Expressionists and their philosophy of colour and gesture. I wrote my first dissertation, “Object Matter vs Subject Matter,” addressing artists such as Picasso, de Kooning, Pollock, and Rothko.

During my MA, and in the years since, my practice evolved into more conceptual, narrative-driven work, often produced on film, as my desire to experiment with different media expanded.

The work you see now is rooted in my favourite methods-sketching, sculpting, and painting the landscape, which has always been a recurring presence in my art.

Creative Process

I would describe my style as contemporary expressionism, often centred around nature and landscape. I plan locations in advance, as I prefer to do most of my sketching on-site. I think of my creative process as a dialogue between myself and the work. A piece is complete when that conversation has come to an end.

Nature is my primary source of inspiration, while experimenting with new media and incorporating technology reflects my contemporary perspective. I enjoy pushing boundaries and blending techniques when creating specific pieces.

Artistic Style & Meaning

I value how my work raises questions and connects with people in deep and personal ways. It can resonate through its subject, location, textures, colours, or even the interplay between plexiglass and drawing as they share space. My work often invites discussion.

I keep one or two pieces from each period of my journey as a record of a where I have been and what I must not forget. The earliest works are sketches of flowers I used do for my mum daily and egg tempera still-life paintings dating back to 1993.

Tools & Techniques

I enjoy painting and sketching across all mediums and take pride in having mastered many traditional techniques. This foundation allows me to apply them intuitively, as and when they feel appropriate.

My current technique is unique to my practice and has been recognised and written about in several art publications.

Industry & Career

One of the biggest challenges I faced was becoming a mother and adapting my creativity and studio time accordingly. However, motherhood ultimately deepened my inspiration, and my fears of “losing my place” among my peers proved unfounded.

My advice to emerging artists is to stay true to their path, trust their choices, and learn equally from successes and failures while embracing change.

Personal Insight

To me, success as an artist is waking up every day excited to go to the studio, as if it were Christmas morning - the rest is simply the aftermath.

I cannot imagine a world in which I was not creating. Being creative is as natural to me as breathing. I don’t need motivation to paint-I simply do it, and I love it.

Current & Future Works

I am currently working on several location-based concepts across Europe and the USA. I would love to present my recent work again within a museum context and remain open to exploring new horizons, opportunities, and collaborations.