Demo: Marieta Sotirova - Buildings and Light

We kicked off the 2026 programme with a fantastic demo by Marieta Sotirova, a Bulgarian trained artist who after 8 years working as an artist then studied and worked as an architect before moving to the U.K and re-engaging with painting where she feels her heart lives.  

She explained how, whilst respecting the oil painting rules, she is often happy to break them.

Initial outlines were loosely sketched in a thin yellow and the areas of light were rubbed into the canvas using pieces of cloth, all done with lean bright paint. From the outset we were looking at the pop of a light intense yellow building which was not going to touched again.

Marieta uses the white of the paper under a thin colour to preserve the light then works towards the dark, a very different way of approaching oil painting. It was about the constant checking of colour temperature, saturation, tonal value and how colours relate to each other: is the adjacent colour darker/ lighter, cooler/ warmer?

We were all swept up with her enthusiasm, her encouragement to experiment, try crazy ideas, and not to be upset but to embrace the ‘ugly moments’ as the painting develops. She stressed not to go into detail but to work out the basic elements first. With buildings, get the main angles right. Create richness through subtle colour change within a block of colour and never use a pure white. There was so much more.

The workshop is for oil or acrylic painters but gouache or watercolour can be accommodated although watercolour techniques are very different. We can also provide oil paint (for a small charge) if you wish to ‘have a go’ but don’t want to invest in a set of paints. The subject is buildings and light.

Look for a reference picture with high contrast in light and shade, probably early morning or late afternoon light. Avoid subjects where the light is flat. Marieta will bring source pictures if needed. We only have 5 places left so book here soon to avoid disappointment.