About the Artist
Based in
Cary, NC
Biography

Lyudmila Tomova Clark is a globally acclaimed, award-winning artist celebrated for her distinctive impressionist style. Residing in both Cary, NC, and Almond, WI, she passionately captures figures, portraits, and plein air scenes in both oil and watercolor mediums. Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, her artistic journey flourished upon her immigration to the US in 1990, where she thrived as a full-time painter, editorial illustrator, and designer in the dynamic landscape of New York City.

Drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature, Lyudmila's work has earned recognition in prestigious plein air events such as Easton, Bluff Strokes, Glaciers, Suffolk, and New Bern, among others. Her art seamlessly blends abstract and realistic elements, weaving together mood and movement. Lyudmila holds a BFA degree in Illustration with highest honors from the Sofia Academy of Fine Arts in Bulgaria and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, showcasing her adept navigation of Classical realism and impressionism.

Beyond her studio, Lyudmila generously imparts her passion by conducting workshops on watercolor, oil, acrylic, and drawing throughout North Carolina. As a distinguished Signature member of the Watercolor Societies of NC (silver signature member), Georgia, Southern, and the Southwestern Watercolor Society, her influence extends far beyond her canvas. Her numerous accolades include features in the International Artist magazine, Walter magazine, Splash books, and inclusion in Strokes of Genius 8: Expressive Texture by North Light Books.

Lyudmila's artistic legacy is evident through her participation in esteemed exhibitions such as PleinAir Salon, ArtFields, RFAS, WFWS, and NWS. Playfully reflecting on her early plein air initiation at the age of 13 in the Special School of Fine Arts in Bulgaria, she fondly embraces her approach, which she whimsically dubs "create-destroy-create" – a rhythmic dance mirrored in her gestures on canvas. The year 2023 marked a remarkable chapter, with Lyudmila earning an impressive 22 awards in various national and international exhibitions, 9 of which were first place, underscoring her enduring excellence and unwavering commitment to the ever-evolving language of creativity.

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Exhibitions and Events

2024

  • Missouri Watercolor Society 2025 International Juried Exhibition (juried international exhibition) 
  • PleinAir Salon (2nd Place Overall for October)
  • National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Society (NOAPS) Fall International Online Exhibition
  • FAV15% (3 paintings selected as jury's favorite 15% of the entries) in the October 2024 BoldBrush Painting competition)
  • PleinAir Salon (Top 100 for October in the Figure-Portrait category)
  • Aug/Sept Modern Impressionist Salon (Top 20)
  • American Impressionist Society 5th Annual All Member Online Exhibition
  • PleinAir Salon (Best Water Award for August)
  • Beaufort Historic Site, Mattie King Davis Gallery (featured artist, solo exhibition)
  • Bluff Strokes Plein Air Event (1st Place Working Dubuque)
  • 4th Plein Air Floyd Biennial (Best Oil/Acrylic Award)
  • 17th ARC Salon (Semi-Finalist in the Plein air category)
  • Suffolk Plein Air Festival (1st Place main event, 1st Place Quick Draw, Barbara Harris Best Use of Purple Award)
  • Blowing Rock Plein Air Event (2nd Place award)
  • Oil Painters of America Eastern Exhibition (juried national exhibition)
  • Paint the Point Plein Air Event (1st Place Main event, 1st Place Post Card event, 1st place Quick Paint event, 3rd Place Nocturne event)
  • Southwestern Watercolor Society (juried exhibition, Best in Show Award)
  • Watercolor Society NC (juried exhibition, Central Region Award)
  • Plein Air Easton (juried plein air event) July - 13 paintings sold
  • PleinAir Magazine, June/July issue - 8-page feature article
  • Grand Traverse Plein Air Event (juried plein air event) June
  • NOAPS 2024 Best of America SMALL Works International Juried Exhibition (juried international exhibition)
  • NOAPS 2024 Spring International Online Exhibition (Award of Merit, juried international exhibition)
  • American Impressionist Society 4th Annual Associate Member Online Exhibition (juried national exhibition)
  • "Envision", Herbert C. Young Community Center (solo exhibition)
  • "Fluid Impressions", Cary Arts Center Principal's Hall (solo exhibition)
  • NC Plein Air Event, New Bern, NC (juried plein air event)
  • 12th Fuquay-Varina Plein Air paint out (1st Place Award)
  • 47th Southern Watercolor Society Annual Juried Exhibition (juried national exhibition)
  • Azalea Plein Air (invitational plein air) 
  • Watercolor USA 2024 exhibition at the Springfield Art Museum (juried national exhibition)
  • Louisiana Watercolor Society’s 54th Annual International Exhibition (President's Award, juried international exhibition)
  • Lighthouse Plein Air, Tequesta, FL (1st Place in the Quick Draw, juried plein air)
  • Ocean Reef Plein Air, Key Largo, FL (invitational plein air) 
  •  14th Biennial National Art Exhibition, Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, Florida (juried national exhibition)
  • Georgia Watercolor Society National Exhibition (1st Place Award, juried national exhibition)
  • American Impressionist Society Small Works Exhibition (juried national exhibition)
  • 47th International Watermedia Exhibition, Houston, TX (juried national exhibition)

2023

  • FALC Member Exhibition, Cary, NC
  • American Impressionist Society 4th Annual All Member Online Exhibition (juried national exhibition)
  • Watercolor Society NC Annual Juried Exhibition (5th Place Award)
  • 7th Annual National Juried Exhibition 2023, Wausau Museum of Contemporary Art, Wausau, WI (juried national exhibition)
  • SDWS Plein Air Exhibition, San Diego, CA (national juried exhibition)
  • October Featured Artist Exhibition, Glenwood Fine Art gallery, Raleigh, NC
  • 4-person exhibition of People's Choice award winners from 2022, Wisdom Table, Elkin, NC
  • Foothills Plein Air festival, Elkin, NC (1st Place Award and 1st Place Award QuickDraw)
  • Paint It Orange plein air event, Hillsborough, NC (Best Cityscape Award, People's Choice Award)
  • Bluff Strokes Plein air, Dubuque, IA (Best Nocturne Award)
  • Valdese Plein Air, NC (1st Place Award)
  • Suffolk VA Plein Air Event
  • 2023 Glacier Plein Air Event (Artists' Choice Award)
  • 4th Annual Women in Watercolor International Juried Competition (juried international exhibition, two Honorable Mention awards) 
  • 2023 Plein Air Easton Festival, Easton, MD (juried plein air event)
  • 2023 Telluride 20th Plein Air Event, Telluride, CO (juried plein air event)
  • 2023 NOAPS Online International Spring show (juried group show)
  • Solo Exhibition, Margaux's, Raleigh, NC
  • 2023 Fuquay-Varina Plein air event (1st Place Award)
  • 2-person exhibition, Clayton Visual Arts Gallery, Clayton, NC
  • 28th FALC Annual Juried Exhibition (group juried show, 1st Place Award)
  • 2023 ArtFields Portrait Competition (live 3-round competition, 1st Place Award)
  • 2023 WSNC Center Region Exhibition (group juried show, 1st Place Award)
  • 46th SWS Annual Exhibition (group juried show, Jack Richeson Award)
  • 2023 AIS Best Small Works of America (group juried show)
  • 62nd exhibition of Watercolor USA at the Springfield Art Museum (group juried show)
  • National Oil and Acrylic Painters' Society (NOAPS) Best of America Small Painting 2023 exhibition (group juried show)
  • 53rd LWS International Exhibition (group juried show)
  • 2023 Georgia Watercolor Society National Exhibition (group juried show, 1st Place Award)
  • Artists Alliance of the Triangle 5th Annual Juried Members Showcase (group juried show, 1st and 2nd Place Award)
  • Juried into Easton Plein Air Festival (juried plein air event)
  • Juried into Telluride Plein Air Event (juried plein air event)
  • Juried into New Bern Plein Air Event (juried plein air event)
  • 46th International Watermedia Exhibition at the Watercolor Art Society (group juried show, 3rd Place Award)
  • IWS Japan Nadeshiko Watercolor Triennale in Kobe, Japan (international group juried show, Escoda Award)
  • FALC show at the Mayton In, Cary, NC (group juried show)
Associations