Ignat Ignatov, 1978 | Impressionist painter

Ignat Ignatov is a contemporary artist with exemplary talent. His interpretation of the spirit of fine art saturates his paintings with a unique expressive richness. Although each new subject seems to dictate the style and approach, his paintings are always alive with color, light, texture, atmosphere, energy, and emotion.
Ignat was born in 1978 in Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria and grew up in Sevlievo, Bulgaria.

At age thirteen, his promising talent in drawing, painting, and sculpting earned him one of only thirty available spots to attend the renowned Secondary Art School of Applied Arts in Tryavna, Bulgaria. Ignat’s five years there established the foundation for his academic art training.

Following graduation in 1996, Ignat attended St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, where he studied under the demanding atelier approach to fine art. In 1997, at the age of nineteen, Ignat financed his move to the United States using proceeds from the sale of his art. He is now a United States citizen residing in California.

Following his move, Ignat studied at the prestigious California Art Institute in Westlake Village, Associates in Art in Sherman Oaks, and the American Animation Institute in North Hollywood. In 2005, Ignat began teaching painting classes at the Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art where he taught until 2012.

In 2013, Ignat's compassion for homeless animals led to numerous art projects. He painted portraits of shelter dogs on death row with the goal of bringing awareness to the dire situation in Animal Shelters in the U.S. Ignat donated the funds from these paintings to small animal rescue organizations that were willing to save the dogs. He also painted Bulgaria's street dogs, the proceeds of which helped build an animal shelter in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.

Ignat was most influenced by Nicolai Fechin🎨, John Singer Sargent🎨, Anders Zorn🎨 and Joaquin Sorolla🎨 while establishing his own artistic roots. His work includes figures, portraits, still lifes, wildlife, and landscapes.

He is an avid traveler whose work is inspired by his adventures. Ignat's primary goal is to continue cultivating his unique style, by expressing the form and anatomy as well as color and composition through a representational painting approach.

Ignat Ignatov is a Signature Member of the California Art Club.

Awards🎨:

• Finalist in Figurative Category, International ARC Salon 2010-2011;
• Honorable Mention for Artistic Excellence, Salon International 2011;
• Honorable Mention for Artistic Excellence, Salon International 2010;
• Award of Excellence, 98th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, 2009, California Art Club;
• Honorable Mention for Artistic Excellence, Salon International 2008;
• Honorable Mention for Artistic Excellence, Salon International 2007;
• Award of Excellence, 15th Annual National Juried Exhibition, 2006, Oil Painters of America;
• Award of Excellence, 95th Annual Gold Medal Juried Exhibition, 2006, California Art Club;
• Award of Excellence, 14th Annual National Juried Exhibition, 2005, Oil Painters of America.