Kalina Tosheva
Kalina Tosheva (b.1999) is a Bulgarian-American contemporary oil painter and draftsman based in Florence, Italy. Working primarily in traditional oil painting and charcoal drawing, she is best known for her figurative work and portraiture.
Currently, Kalina is exploring both studio and plein-air landscape painting.
After rigorous training at the Florence Academy of Art, the National Academy of Art (Bulgaria), and other institutions/mentors, she is now actively receiving commissions, hosting workshops, and offering private mentorship in her studio.
Recent notable achievements include being selected for the 'Select Fifty' category in the Portrait Society of America's 26th Annual International Portrait Competition (2024), Pre-Selection in the Royal Society of Portrait Painters Annual Exhibition (2024), receiving an Honorable Mention from the Portrait Society of America for the Future Generation Competition (2023), and earning Best Figure Painting of Second Year at the Florence Academy of Art (2022)
Awards & Exhibitions
2025 - Honorable Mention in the 2025 Almenara Art Prize
2025 - Summer Faculty Show - Florence Academy of Art
2025 - “Paper/Mirror/Paper” Portrait Exhibition - Florence Academy of Art
2025 - Longlisted for the Self Portrait Prize - Ruth Borchard Collection
2025 - Longlisted for the Jackson’s Art Prize
2024 - "The Almenara Art Prize Online Exhibition 2024" - The Almenara Collection
2024 - "Summer Faculty Show" - Florence Academy of Art
2024 - ‘Work/Study Scholarship Award’ Assistant Instructor for Landscape Workshop - the Florence Academy of Art
2024 - 'Select Fifty' in the 26th annual International Portrait Competition by the Portrait Society of America
2023 - Honorable Mention in "The Future Generation" competition by the Portrait Society of America
2022 - Best Figure Painting of Second Year - Florence Academy of Art, Italy
2019 - Academic Drawing Competition Purchase Prize - National Academy of Arts, Bulgaria
2019 - Portrait painting in permanent collection of the Vladimir Dimitrov Gallery - Kyustendil, Bulgaria
2019 - "The Soul of the Master" Plein-Air Exhibition - Kyustendil, Bulgaria
2018 - 1st & 2nd Place in Figurative Drawing and Painting (Entrance Exams) - National Academy of Arts, Bulgaria
2013 - "20 Under 20" - Bellevue Arts Museum, United States
Education
Landscape Painting Workshop, Daniela Astone 2024
Drawing and Painting Program, Florence Academy of Art 2021 – 2023
Écorché Sculpture - One-Year Course, Florence Academy of Art 2021 – 2022
Portrait Drawing, Chiaroscuro Atelier under Sergey Chubirko 2022 May – 2022 Jun
3-D Sculpting Intensive Course (ZBrush), CGZen studio under Martin Punchev 2020
Erasmus Exchange Program, Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze 2020 Mar – 2020 Jul
(BA) Painting Program, National Academy of Arts 2018 – 2020 | Sofia, Bulgaria
Private Academic Drawing, Painting & Sculpting Lessons, Terminal 3 Atelier under Peter Hristov 2017 – 2019
Academic Figure Drawing, Kirkland Arts Center USA 2014 – 2015
To view the entire CV, including full professional experience, internships, etc. click here.