Latchezar Boydjiev
Latchezar Boyadjiev was born and raised in Sofia, Bulgaria, where he attended the Ceramics Department of the Academy of Applied Arts. In 1985 he was admitted to the prestigious Academy of Applied Arts in Prague, Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia), under the guidance of Professor Stanislav Libensky, one of the most prominent glass artists of our time and influential source for most glass artists in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
In 1986, just after graduating from the Academy, Latchezar Boyadjiev defected to the United States via Italy.
After settling in California, Boyadjiev worked for more than ten years in the field of optical glass, using cold work techniques such as cutting, grinding, polishing and laminating to create his optical glass sculptures that he became initially known for. Since there were limits to the size of his objects, he decided to change to a different technique to accomplish that goal.
His drawing technique changed from pencil to charcoal, the glass technique from optical to cast glass.
The Academy’s strict curriculum of daily drawing and design classes for five years had its intended effect on the young student. Today, the artist is saying, when he is working on new designs, he keeps drawing until something finally strikes him. New designs sometimes take him hours, days or weeks to complete.
Once a drawing is satisfactory, a clay model is made. The next step is the actual sculpture rendered in clay with perfectly smooth surfaces and details. Next follows a series of positive and negative molds, a time time consuming and detail-oriented process that will lead to the final plaster positive that will determine the outcome of the sculpture.
Initially those plaster positives were delivered to the Czech Republic by the artist in person, With the goal of selecting the best glass casting studios and glass color selections available. It also gave him the opportunity of working with some old friends from days past, to create his new glass sculptures that were cast into yet another mold, and later annealed, partially ground and polished.
His new and exciting work was introduced at SOFA 1997 in Chicago and the response was very enthusiastic - dynamic sculptures reflecting depth and dimension, a new approach to contemporary glass art and design.
BORN
Sofia, Bulgaria ,1959
EDUCATION
Academy of Arts, Sofia, Ceramic Studio, 1979.
Academy of Applied Arts, Glass Studio with Professor Stanislav Libensky
Prague, Czechoslovakia, 1980-1985.
In 1986 moved to United States
AWARDS
Award of Excellence - Jurors award
Habatat Galleries – Michigan:
46th Annual International Glass Invitational - 2018
45th Annual International Glass Invitational - 2017
42nd Annual International Glass Invitational - 2014
41st Annual International Glass Invitational – 2013
40th Annual International Glass Invitational - 2012
39th Annual International Glass Invitational - 2011
36th Annual International Glass Invitational - 2008
34th Annual International Glass Invitational - 2006
33rd Annual International Glass Invitational - 2005
32nd Annual International Glass Invitational - 2004
SOLO EXHIBITIONS AND PRESENTATIONS
Continuum Gallery, Konigswinter, Germany - April 2023
Lew Allen Galleries, Santa Fe, NM - May 2022
Fort Wayne Museum of Art, IN - September 2021
George Billis Gallery, New York - December12, 2017
SOFA - Chicago 2016, 2017, 2018 with Habatat Galleries, MI
Gallery Sikabonji, Vienna, Austria Oct. 20th - Nov. 20, 2016
LewAllen Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM July 27th to August 26th, 2016
Sofa Chicago 2015 with Habatat Gallery, Mi – November 5th to November8th 2015
Habatat Gallery, MI, December7th to Lanuary 16th 2014
Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Canada – September 20th to October31st, 2014,
SOFA – Chicago, November 2013 by Habatat, MI
Philharmonic Center for the Arts, Naples, FL – March 20th to April 25th, 2013
Habatat Gallery, Florida – January 2013
SOFA – Chicago, November 2011 by Pismo Gallery, Colorado
SOFA – NY April 2011 by Schantz Gallery, Massachusetts
SOFA – Chicago, November 2010 by T. Riley Galleries
SOFA – Santa Fe 2010 by Jane Sauer Gallery, Santa Fe, New Mexico
Hawk Galleries – March 2010
SOFA – New York, April 2010 by Jane Sauer Gallery, New Mexico
SOFA – Chicago, November 2009 by T. Riley Galleries, Ohio
PalmBeach3 - Florida from Jan 15th to the 18th. with Thomas R. Riley Galleries
SOFA - Chicago by Thomas R. Riley Galleries - 2008
Jane Sauer Gallery, Santa Fe, NM - June 2008
Academy of Art in Sofia, Bulgaria - March 2008
Thomas R. Riley Galleries, Cleveland, OH - October 2007
Habatat Galleries, Boca Raton, FL- February 2006
Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Canada - May 2006
SOFA - Chicago by Thomas Riley Gallery - November 2006
Hawk Galleries, Columbus, OH - 2nd of December 2006 - 28th of January 2007
SOFA-NY by Holsten Gallery - 2005
SOFA- Chicago by Habatat Galleries - 2004
Davis and Cline Gallery- Ashland, OR - 2004
Habatat Gallery, Chicago,IL - September 2003
SOFA- Chicago by Habatat Galleries - 2003
SOFA-NY by Holsten Gallery - 2003
Tomas Riley Gallery, Cleveland, OH - March 2003
SOFA- Chicago by Habatat Galleries - 2002
Sandra Ainsley Gallery, Toronto, Canada - March 2002
SOFA- Chicago by Habatat Galleries - 2001
Habatat Gallery, Pontiac, Mi - February 2001
SOFA - NY by Holsten Gallery - 2001
Habatat Gallery, Chicago, IL - June 1999
The Rachael Collection, Aspen, CO - February 1999
Compositions Gallery, San Francisco, CA - march 1998
Merrill Chase Gallery Lara, Chicago, IL - October 1996
Gallerie L, Hamburg, Germany - February 1996
Art Glass Centre International, Shalkwijk, Holland - May 1996
Christy Taylor Gallery, Boca Raton, FL - 1990, 91, 92, 93, 95
The Rachael Collection, Aspen, CO - 1995, 94, 92
Vespermann Gallery, Atlanta, GA 1994
Compositions Gallery, San Francisco, CA - 1994, 91
Riley Hawk Galleries, Columbus and Cleveland, OH - 1993
Gallerie L, Hamburg, Germany -1993
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
Srasot Glass Weekend with Habatat Gallery - January 2023
Survey Bay Area, Montague Gallery, San Francisco - March 1, 2019
St. Petersburg Glass Weekend, Habatat Galleries - Jan 24th, 2019
Opening group exhibition at Montague Gallery in San Francisco -Feb. 2017
European Glass Context 2016 - Bornholm Museum of Art, Denmark Sept.9 - Nov.11 2016
SOFA- Chicago by Habatat Galleries - 2016, 2017, 2018
Etienne Gallery, Oisterwijk, The Netherlands - 35th Anniversary Exhibition, Sept.10-Oct.9th 2016
Serasota Glass Now by Habatat Gallery - Sarasota, Florida, January 28th – 31st 2016
Europian Glass Festival in Wroclaw, Poland October 2015-april 2016
Context At Maiami 2015 with Aibo Gallery, December 1st to December6th 2015.
European Glass festival, Wroclaw, Poland – oct 11th 2015 to January 2016
Art Southampton, 2015 With Aibo Gallery, NY July 2015
43rd Annual International Glass Invitational 2015
Art Palm Beach 2015 with Habatat Gallery, MI
SOFA Chicago 2015 with Habatat Gallery, MI
Art Hamptons, Bridgehampton, NY July 10th – 13th, 2014
42nd Annual International Glass Invitational, Habatat Gallery, Royal Oak, MI - 24th of April to 27th of June 2014
The Summer of Glass – Fort Wayne art museum, Fort Wayne, Indiana June 28th – August 31st.2014
41st Annual International Glass Invitational. Habatat Gallery, Royal Oak, MI – April24th to 31st, 2012
The Summer of Glass – Fort Wayne, Art Museum, Fort Wayne, Indiana, June 29th – September 29th, 2013
"Expressions" Kalamazoo Institute of Art - Aug 11 to Nov 4, 2012
Playing with Fire – Oakland Museum of California – November 2012 to March 2013
Seeking Freedom – National Liberty Museum, Philadelphia, PA – June28th to September28th 2012
40th Annual International Glass Invitational Awards Exhibition – Habatat Gallery, Michigan
Apr 26th to May26th, 2012
Glass Act: The contemporary Studio Art Glass Movement turns 50 – Boca Raton Museum of Art April 5th to Oct. 14, 2012
Return to the Tropics – December 2011, Habatat Galleries, Florida
39th Annual International Glass Invitational – 2011, Habatat Galleries, Michigan
27th International Glass Invitational - Habatat Galleries, Florida Dec2, 2009 to Jan 3, 2010
37th Annual International Glass Invitational – 2009, Habatat Galleries, Michigan
26th International Glass Invitational - Habatat Galleries, Florida Dec2, 2008 to Jan 3, 2009
36th Annual International Glass Invitational – 2008, Habatat Galleries, Michigan
2008 Beijing Art Salon - October 2008
SOFA - NY, May 2008
National Museum of Art, Bratislava, Slovakia, February-May 2008
Museum of Applied Arts, Brno, Czech Republic, August-December 2007
Muskegon Museum of Art - Muskegon, Michigan from March1st to April 6th
Davis and Cline Galleries- Two Person Show - September 2006
The 23rd Annual International Glass Invitational - Habatat, Florida Dec 2006
Dennos Museum Center -"World of Glass", Traverse City, MI - 2005
Toronto International Art fair , Toronto, Canada - 2003, 2002
SOFA Chicago represented By Habatat Galleries , MI - 2005,04, 03, 02, 01, 00
SOFA New York Represented by Holsten Galleries, MA 2005, 03, 01
The Annual International Glass Invitational, Habatat, MI - 2004, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00,
The 22nd Anniversary Glass Invitational, Holsten Gallery, MA- 2005, 03 , 01
The Annual International Glass Invitational , Habatat, FL 2005 , 04, 03, 02, 01, 00
Glass Lovers Weekend, Millville, Represented by Habatat, MI - 2005, 03, 01, 99
First International Glass Exhibition - Beijing and Shanghai Museum of Fine Arts 2001
SOFA Chicago represented by Compositions Gallery, CA 1990 - 1999
Sofa New York represented by Miller Gallery, NY - 1998
Gallery 323, Madison, WI 1997
Frauenau Museum, Germany 1995
Art Glass Centre International, Shalkwijk, Holland 1995
Glass Now, Tokyo, Japan 1993, 91, 90, 89
Glass Now , Tokyo, Japan 1992 (Three Artist Show)
The international Glass Exhibition, Kanazawa, Japan,1992, 90
Glass Lovers Weekend , NJ Represented by Compositions Gallery , 1993, 91
The Glass Art Gallery, Toronto, Canada (Three Artists Show) 1992
Year Of American Craft, Syntex Gallery, Palo Alto, CA 1993
Stockbridge Glass Invitational - Holsten Galleries, Stockbridge, MA 1992
The International Art Competition, New York, NY 1992 (Winner)
Scale Detail , Habatat Gallery, MI 1990, 89, 88
COLLECTIONS
De Young Museum, San Francisco, CA
Denver Museum of Art, Denver, CO
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA
Imagine Museum, St. Petersburg, FL
Fort Wayne Museum of Art, Fort Wayne, IN
Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota, FL
Flint Museum, Flint, Michigan
Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI
Barry Art Museum, Norfolk, VA
Naples Museum of Art, Naples, FL
Museum of Applied Arts, Prague, Czech Republic
Glass Museum, Ebeldorf, Denmark
Glass museum der Ernsting Stiftung, Germany
Museum de Alcorcon, Spain
Palmer Museum of Art, University Park, PA
First Interstate World Trade Center Los Angeles, CA
Scottsdale Center for the Arts, AZ
The White House, Washington DC
New Mexico Museum of Art, Santa Fe, NM
Private collections in USA, Canada, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia
COMMISSIONS
Stony Brook Hospital, Long Island, NY
Wall Street Journal
Dow Jones Inc.
Lockheed Martin
National Semiconductor Corporation
Nestle Corporation
Lufthansa Cargo Award
Office of Mayor San Francisco
Oakland Chamber of Commerce
Pacific Enterprises
Sopha Medical Systems
Bank of Marin
Tamalpais Bank
Innovative Thinking Network
Trophy for Italian Volleyball Team
The Perseus Award – Superyacht Owners.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
California College of Arts and Crafts, Oakland, CA 1990 - 1991