Творческа работилница
I believe in the power of stories — in the quiet, persistent way our life path shapes us into who we are becoming. So let me tell you mine.
I was born in the early nineties in Varna, with the sea ever-present in my imagination. I grew up watching the sun scatter gold across the waves and the moon lay its silver path over the water at night. My childhood was free — surrounded by animals, climbing trees, reading endlessly, and drawing. Always drawing.
figuring out my path
For a long time, art did not feel like an acceptable life path. I was told it wasn’t a “real” option, so I chose the closest thing — or what I believed was the closest thing — journalism. I graduated from Sofia University with a degree in International Radio Journalism and continued with a master’s degree in Digital Marketing at the University of Sheffield.
On paper, my professional path was clear. I worked as a marketing expert in the corporate field and even co-founded a company. I was relatively successful.
But something felt misaligned.
In the evenings, I would open my sketchbook. I would paint for hours. I began sharing my work online and found a community. Small steps followed — opening an online shop, attending bazaars, accepting commissions. Until one day, I realized I deserved to give myself a real chance.
I left my own company and stepped fully into freelance life.
Since then, I’ve been working as an illustrator, developing a style that blends realism with mysticism. When my son was born, I discovered a deep love for children’s literature, and I’ve since focused much of my work on illustrating children’s books.
My art is inspired by nature, mythology, and folklore. I use the ethereal qualities of watercolor to reveal the magic that lives just beneath the surface of the ordinary — the fantastical quietly woven into the mundane.
I create under the name Pearl Plam — a meeting of elements.
Pearl carries the memory of the sea, born of water and earth, shaped slowly and patiently.
Plam comes from my given name, Plamena, meaning flame – warm, wild and untamable.
My emblem reflects this duality: a fox, red and luminous like embers in the forest, and a white rabbit dusted with stars, leaping toward one another in an endless circle.
I am also the creator of the Bulgarian Folktales Challenge — an annual art event held every March, where artists create work inspired by themes from Bulgarian folklore. The challenge has had six editions so far.
Alongside illustration, I work as a freelance journalist for the independent media platform Den.fm.
At the heart of everything I do is this belief: stories matter. The ones we inherit. The ones we create. And the ones we finally allow ourselves to live.
Let me illustrate yours.
