"For me, art is a way of expressing the idea of "Spirit in Matter" through colors and shapes.It's emotional... I accept the world as it is and rearrange it in my own way...
The meaning of Z.Paneva’s work lies both in the process of creation and in the final result. Interested in the human experience and the individual's sense of being, she creates her own vision of a world in motion and change.Using multiple fragmentary hand-drawn and digital layers, she creates unique images of coexistence... A kind of molecular pixelated movement that shifts between the familiar and the abstract and becomes a memorable new perception of the world.The final image is a record of interaction - a moment in which life forms meet, collide, resist and briefly find balance. Zlatka Paneva's paintings reveal the emotional beauty of coexistence - an invisible harmony in space and time that we all share, but which often eludes human perception…
BIOGRAPHY
Zlatka Paneva is a uniquely versatile and compelling artist whose visionary ideas, expressive range, and technical innovations transcend traditional boundaries between media. Born in Bulgaria and currently based in Los Angeles, she holds an MFA from the Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia and specialized in ceramics at the renowned Carlo Zauli Studio in Faenza, Italy.
While pursuing her painting career in the U.S., Paneva began as a fashion illustrator before founding Studio Nine in Los Angeles. There, she successfully translated her artistic vision into the design and production of ceramic art, tile, and design (1995–2006). Her work was distributed nationally and internationally through high-end showrooms, Waterworks, Country Floors, and Ann Sacks (a Kohler Company).Her designs have been installed in private residences, corporate offices and commercial projects.
Z.Paneva continues to expand her creative practice through constant experimentation, combining traditional skills with cutting-edge technologies.. She has worked as a sculptor, graphic and jewelry designer, tile conservator, and interior designer.
In 2010, she launched Rococcola Studio, returning to art on paper and canvas. Now, her work is deeply informed by her experience across disciplines, with design, color, and materiality serving as central influences.Her print and illustration from Rococcola collection quickly gained a global cult following and were licensed by leading companies and publications including The New York Times, Elle, Vogue, Vanity Fair, and Capital/Mexico amount others.
Since 2018, Paneva has focused exclusively on painting and ceramics. With a sense of expansive awareness, she continues to melt the boundaries between media, forging a unique expressive visual language. Her works often serve as modern mythologies—conceptual narratives rendered in form.
Her work is held in prestigious collections including the National Museum of Art in Bulgaria, the International Museum of Ceramic Art in Italy, the Museum of Modern Ceramic Art in Gifu, Japan, and the museum in Vallauris, France. She has exhibited in New York City, Los Angeles, Brussels, and Sofia, and has been featured in The New York Times, Vogue, and Vanity Fair.