Team Work Bulgarian Husband and Wife Paint Energetic Abstract Symbolism by Jessica Shyu International Visions, best known for showcasing a unique combination of local and international artistic talent, has for the first time rolled that combination into a single collection titled ìLove and Timeî by newly emigrated Bulgarian husband-and-wife painters George Kochev and Nadia Kocheva. Just two months after moving to the United States, one month since packing into an apartment in Fairfax, Va., and merely two weeks after buying a car, the couple hosted the opening of their art exhibit featuring 17 abstract oil paintings. In addition to celebrating the artistsí diverse styles, the paintings capture their undeniable energy, which is seen in their lives as well as in their creations on canvas. Upon entering the two-story gallery, viewers are confronted with a wide swath of color and texture. Stretching across almost five feet and more than two feet high, Nadiaís mural-like painting ìPassingî is a rich fusion of browns, purples, greens and reds. The dark swirls and the thick, strategically layered beads of paint sit against a cool pink background, creating a finely composed piece full of depth, said one patron, Uruguayan painter Luis Scotti. ìShe plays,î he said. ìIt is very happy and relaxed.î Although abstract artists are nothing new to Washington, D.C., George and Nadia stand out for their ìclever use of color,î said gallery owner Tim Davis. ìThey use layers and layers of color and make all the different colors work together. Thatís their trade.î Excellence in their trade won the couple a second invitation to showcase their art at the neighborhood gallery, which first displayed the pairís work three years ago. Although the couple has traveled worldwide presenting their artwork, the Washington area struck them during their first visit, Davis said, and they mentioned that they would enjoy moving here. After waiting a year to obtain green cards, the couple surprised Davis by actually moving to the United States just months before the exhibit, leaving behind their day jobs as a university art lecturer and museum curator (Nadia) and a training information specialist for the United Nations Development Programme (George). Unlike Nadia, whose eight pieces focus on abstract brush strokes and bold colors based solely on her ìfeelings,î George prefers to wed shades of blue with shapes and abstract human figures. An avid swimmer and diver who lived by a lake for years, George said he finds his inspiration in the water. With their surreal qualities and abstract form, the paintings are difficult to interpret, and the artists offer viewers few clues. Perhaps for the sake of mystique or because of the language barrier, Georgeís only explanation was: ìI feel that I must draw. I must make paintings,î he said. ìLet other people explain it and summarize it.î Describing the paintings as abstract symbolism, Davis translated the watery shades as an ìunderwater scene in focus.î ìThereís a lot of symbolism going through the images, which dictate a lot of how the people feel,î he said. ìThereís a spiritual focus.î Symbolism and spiritual forces are nothing new to the European couple, who grew up among religious icons, the traditional subjects of paintings in Bulgaria, though Nadia and George have shied away from employing traditional Bulgarian painting forms in their work. The artists clearly draw on ideas from their personal experiences and dreams (several of Georgeís nine paintings are titled ìDream I,î ìDream II,î for instance.), drawing praise for their sheer painting ability. ìWhen I do figures, theyíre real,î said local landscape artist Bill Dorsey. ìSo I really appreciate it when someone can get the features and expression with so few details,î he said of Georgeís abstract faces. Although the exhibit comes at a hectic point in the artistsí lives, the 17 oil paintings are anything but chaoticóand when they are, itís done with a refined purpose. ìThis has very good composition,î Scotti said, nodding at Georgeís painting titled ìFragments.î ìIt is very balanced with [the] crazy,î he added, gesturing at the dominating pinks and blues encasing an upside-down human head. ìBut here [on the left side], it is very calmî with the simple soft pink design. The artistsí sophisticated compositions are not surprising. Both were classically trained at Bulgariaís St. Cyril and Methodius University, where they met about 15 years ago. Their work is showcased in galleries and collections in Belgium, Cyprus, France, Italy and Norway. ìLove and Timeî runs through Aug. 9 at International VisionsóThe Gallery, 2629 Connecticut Ave., NW. For more information, please call (202) 234-5112 or visit www.inter-visions.com. Jessica Shyu is an editorial intern for The Washington Diplomat.