Lyudmila Tomova Clark (a.k.a. Lucy) is an internationally acclaimed impressionist painter working in oil and watercolor, celebrated for her luminous color, expressive brushwork, and dynamic interpretations of landscape, figures, and urban scenes. Based in Cary, North Carolina, she paints extensively on location across the United States and abroad, creating work that bridges direct observation with expressive design.

Over the past two years, Lyudmila has emerged as one of the nation's most highly awarded plein air painters. Her work has earned more than 55 awards, including 24 First-Place honors, multiple Grand Prize / Best in Show distinctions, and major national and international recognitions. In 2026, she received the Grand Prize (Timothy Dills Memorial Award) at Plein Air Easton, the country's premier plein air festival, Grand Prize / Best in Show at the Gloucester Plein Air Invitational, Grand Prize / Best in Show at Lighthouse ArtCenter Plein Air, and First Place at Door County Plein Air. Other career highlights include Second Place in the Plein Air category at the International ARC Salon, where she also received the PleinAir Magazine Award, 2nd Place in the International Watercolor competition Splash 27, the President's Award from Oil Painters of America, Grand Prize / Best of Show at Bluff Strokes Plein Air, and numerous top awards at nationally recognized events including Paint Grand Traverse, Cape Ann Plein Air, Suffolk Plein Air, NC Plein Air, and leading national watercolor exhibitions.

Inspired by the complexity and beauty of both nature and human presence, Lyudmila's paintings balance abstraction with realism to capture atmosphere, movement, and the poetry of everyday life. Whether portraying working waterfronts, vibrant city streets, tranquil rural landscapes, or expressive figurative scenes, she seeks to evoke the emotional experience of a place rather than simply document it.

Originally from Sofia, Bulgaria, Lyudmila immigrated to the United States in 1990 and established herself in New York City as a full-time painter, editorial illustrator, and designer. She earned her BFA in Illustration with highest honors from the Fashion Institute of Technology and also studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and the Special School of Fine Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Lyudmila is a Signature Member of the National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Society (NOAPS), the Laguna Plein Air Painters Association (LPAPA), and multiple watercolor societies, including the Watercolor Society of North Carolina (Silver Signature Member), the Georgia Watercolor Society, Louisiana Watercolor Society, Southern Watercolor Society, and Southwestern Watercolor Society.

Her work has been featured in leading international art publications, including Modern Impressionist Magazine (8-page feature), PleinAir Magazine (8-page feature), Southwest Art, Art of Watercolour, Pratique des Arts, International Artist, Watercolor Artist, Walter Magazine, the Splash series, and Strokes of Genius 8: Expressive Texture.

In addition to her exhibition career, Lyudmila teaches workshops in oil, watercolor, acrylic, and drawing throughout the United States and internationally, sharing her design-driven approach to expressive painting with artists of all levels.

Paintings & Commissions

All paintings are available unless otherwise noted.
To inquire about available work or to commission a custom painting, please visit the Commissions page or contact the artist directly.

Latest News

• 1st Place Award at the 2026 Door County Plein Air Event. My heartfelt thanks to Kelly Kane, Editor-in-Chief of PleinAir Magazine, for this tremendous honor, and to the amazing PenArt team, organizers, volunteers, collectors, friends and fellow artists who make this event so inspiring.
• Grand Prize Award at the 2026 Plein Air Easton Event! This incredible honor is the Timothy Dills Memorial Award, generously sponsored by Ellen Vatne. Heartfelt thanks to the amazing judge Dr. Mary Morton, Curator and Head of French Paintings at the National Gallery of Art. I’m also deeply grateful to Modern Impressionist Magazine for awarding me the Featured Article and supporting this amazing event. Thank you to the more than 200 volunteers, the organizers, sponsors, patrons, collectors, fellow artists, my family, my hardworking subjects, and everyone who makes Plein Air Easton such an extraordinary celebration of art. It truly takes a village. Marie Nuthall, Coordinator Avalon Foundation.
• "Stormbound" invited to be exhibited and auctioned at the Sotheby's, New York City, July 17, 2026: 2nd Place in the Plein Air category at the International ARC Salon along with the Plein Air Magazine Award. Sold.
• 2nd Place in Splash 27, the international watercolor competition featured in The Best of Watercolor by Artist Network Best of Watercolor.
• "Translating Energy and Intuition into Art" by Sarah Beck, 8-page feature article in Modern Impressionist Magazine - May 2026 
• "Before the Catch" (16x20) has been accepted into the Oil Painters of America 2026 National Salon! This exhibition will be hosted by Cassens Fine Art, in Hamilton, Montana, July 31 through August 29, 2026
• Juried as a Signature member for the prestigious Laguna Plein Air Painters Association.
• Merit Award for my “Golden Hour at Mama Lu’s”. Thank you judge Elizabeth Pollie and the whole Crooked Tree gallery team.
• Best in Show for “Tools of the Trade” and Best Boat for “Anchored in Light” at this year’s Gloucester Arts Festival Plein Air Invitational event! A huge thank you to judge Joe Gyurcsak for this incredible honor! 1st Place at the Mathews Paint Out during the Gloucester Arts Festival! Thank you to the amazing organizers, volunteers, collectors, sponsors, fellow artists and friends who make this event so special. Gloucester has been such a wonderful experience filled with great painting, inspiration, laughter and friendships!
• I have been invited as faculty at the 13th Plein Air Convention & Expo, where I will present a live demonstration on the Expo Hall stage. This major international gathering brings together leading artists and instructors for five days of immersive learning and inspiration. Save $100 with code PACE-TOMOVA at PleinAirConvention.com Hope you can join us! 
• “Soft Steps and Daydreams” (20x30 oil) has been accepted into the 48th Annual Open Exhibition at the Salmagundi Club in New York City! The exhibition runs June 9–26, 2026.
• "Rust, Salt and Grit" selected to be included in the 2026 Art of the Sea Exhibition sponsored by the National Maritime Historical Society and the American Society of Marine Artists.
• What an incredible honor to be featured in an 8-page article in the Modern Impressionist Magazine (May/June issue)!
• "Morning Harbor Light" was selected for inclusion in the upcoming American Society of Marine Artists - Modern Marine Masters show at Cavalier Gallery in New York City!
• 1st Place at the Fuquay-Varina Plein Air Festival gala auction for the 5th time with my painting, “Sunlit on Main”.
• “By the Fire” (16x12, oil) has been accepted into the National Oil & Acrylic Painters' Society Small Works: Best of America Exhibition! The show will be held at the Anderson Art Gallery on beautiful St. Simons Island.
• “Before the Journey” received the Grand Prize at the Lighthouse ArtCenter Plein Air event. A heartfelt thank you to our judge amazing plein air artist Beth Bathe for this recognition and to the wonderful team at Lighthouse ArtCenter for organizing such a fantastic event! These events only happen thanks to the dedication of so many amazing organizers, volunteers and supporters.
• My work and artistic journey were also featured in an 8-page article in PleinAir Magazine, including a step-by-step demonstration of her painting process.