A portrait of Petya Dubarova — one of the most tender and unforgettable voices in Bulgarian poetry.
Her writing carries the intensity of youth — love, loneliness, freedom, beauty, the sea and that fragile feeling of experiencing everything for the first time. There is something luminous in her words, even when they are touched by sadness.
This original illustration is part of ARTRIOTI — my illustrated archive of the writers, artists, actors and musicians who left a lasting mark on Bulgarian culture.
WHY I DREW HER
I drew Петя Дубарова because her poetry feels incredibly alive.
There is youth in it, but never superficiality. Her words can be delicate and vulnerable, yet at the same time full of courage, imagination and an intense desire to feel the world completely.
Perhaps that is why her voice still feels so close — she reminds us of the part of ourselves that once believed everything could be felt more deeply, loved more strongly and remembered forever.
I wanted this portrait to carry some of that light.
I draw them so we don’t forget them.
THE PIECE
Original illustration by Svetlomira Minkova, created in Sofia as part of the ARTRIOTI series.
A piece dedicated to one of the most distinctive young voices in Bulgarian poetry — made to be worn, remembered and passed on.
