about me
"Ludmila Shumilova's work is delicate, exquisite, original and artsy" (Yvette Depaepe, editor of 1xcom Magazine)
the world around us is a complex story of mystery and layered realities floating in an ocean of light. light is everywhere. the eye is a camera obscura making it possible for us to know the world through the presence of light. but there is also a light coming from within: the light of imagination which allows one to see what is beyond the visible. through my photography, painting and digital art I want to open a window into that space where visible reality meets the realm of imagination. I am very much drawn to an abstract, synthetic artistic vision that unifies yet reflects the complexity of our existence on earth. I am searching for a visual language that can express essential things with ease and simplicity.
my life as a full-time artist has begun late. following a major upheaval in my life, I switched from action to contemplation in a couple of years. I decided to take an early retirement so to speak, leave everything behind. I downsized. I simplified my life style. I moved from vibrant London to the sedate and fresh Breton countryside, in the region of Finistère, to a small village surrounded by forests. Finistère’s etymology translates as “the end of the world” and it seemed appropriate and symbolic for my new destination. change wrapped around me like a new coat: living in close proximity to nature, exploring the woods, the moors, the ocean coast, discovering new plants, insects, with the childish enchantment of the typical city dweller. I had time to reflect and reconnect with long abandoned dreams of being a full-time artist.
in light, in shadow, in mirrors: gardens of the mind - photography and digital art
flowers, plants contain the whole mystery of life cycles, of beauty and decay, light and darkness. they speak to us about interconnectedness and separation, boundaries and infinite spaces, birth and return to silence. if we really take the time to look at a flower or a foliage we see the same lines, shapes, patterns that belong to natural landscapes. we see waving liness, we see a labyrinth of leaves or petals or a vortex drawing the eye into a mysterious darkness; the world of flowers mirrors our mind's landscapes too; it seems to reflect our complex emotions, thought processes, dreams, memories as organic abstract shapes. "when you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for the moment", said Georgia O'Keeffe. I found a great fountain of inspiration in her portrayal of flowers. I painted and took photos all my life but it was the discovery of digital photography that allowed me to conceptualize the beauty of flowers and leaves, to encourage me to reveal their essence in almost abstract images. I focus on the interaction between plants as complex organisms and the human mind, on how their presence and observation shapes our perception of the world and ourselves. I try to understand how flowers are mirrored in our imagination and projected back as artistic representation. their shapes, patterns, colours, textures are closely related to their own circadian rhythm, movement, life-cycle but they may be also interpreted as messages written in an encrypted language and influencing our visual preferences in art or design. you can see more of my photographic work published in the most prestigious online gallery 1x.com by visiting my profile. if you want to know more about my art please contact me.
in silence - still life photography
still life is about the beauty of everyday familiar things that are given meaning through observation and mental projection. ordinary objects seem to tell stories without words: the way a slant ray of light from the window falls on a cup, on a little bouquet in a jar, on a fruit bowl, make a random arrangement seem significant and full of mystery for a few seconds, as if it were echoing some hidden emotion, a train of thoughts, a flashback from the past...
If you would like to see more of my still life photography or just leave an impression, do not hesitate to do it.
paper trails - painting - acrylic on paper
itineraries, intersections, directions, labyrinths whose blueprints are handed down to us or we build ourselves. meandering roads, journeys, trajectories we follow compulsively. encounters, life stories. fragile passages, dead ends. we need maps to look back at the past and orient ourselves in the present. we are always in motion, searching for a destination, afraid we may never get there: fame, power, riches, love, ideals. these paintings are intuitive representations of the adventure of life, change, becoming, of the tidal cycles of hope and despair. I have always loved geometric patterns and their symbolic ties to our everyday life. in the series "paper trails" I explore uncharted territories in my inner world - memories, longings, dreams, visions. I prefer to paint on paper in small sizes (65x50 cm, 40x30 cm, 30x20 cm). If you want to know more about my paper trails, I would be happy to answer your questions.
all square - digital art
this page showcases some of my mixed media artworks - painting on canvas or paper, photography, digital art. these creations came into existence on my iPad, sometimes starting from a blank page, sometimes from a photo of a texture (stone, wood, textile) or a drawing on paper. I began working on my iPad a couple of years ago, making illustrations for book cover projects. Several online courses helped me improve my knowledge of Procreate - the application for making art on iPad (which has become increasingly popular among visual artists). I quickly discovered the incredible potential of this medium and how it can be used together with other techniques in original and novel ways. my digital artworks are mainly in a square shape. each artwork is printed in a limited edition of 5 prints on archival paper. If you would like to know more about my squares, please feel free to ask me directly.
Creating book covers and images for book covers
I am passionate about my work as a book cover designer and creator of images for book covers. Here are some of my published bookcovers. I can develop any project according to the client's requirements and provide original images. I have a large portfolio (over 1.000 images) with my agent Arcangel Images, one of the most exclusive agencies in the world for book cover photography.
If you want to ask me anything about my book cover projects, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.