Life & Work with Ivo Spirov of Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivo Spirov.

Hi Ivo, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I grew up in Sofia, Bulgaria, and creativity was always a big part of my life. Drawing became a way for me to imagine different worlds, and I was especially in love with animation and the way a character could communicate an entire personality or story. That curiosity eventually followed me across countries and ultimately to Los Angeles, where I’ve built my life and artistic practice.

Over the years, I’ve explored painting, illustration, and character design, while exhibiting my work both locally and internationally. Every experience, place I’ve traveled, stories and memories have found their way into my work somehow.
Today, my practice feels closer than ever to what originally made me fall in love with art. I’m building a colorful world of characters that celebrates individuality, play, community, and the beautifully strange personalities around us. They’re beginning to move beyond traditional canvas into objects, collectible pieces, and unexpected surfaces.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have definitely been obstacles along the way. One of my earliest memories is from high school, when a teacher was incredibly dismissive of my work. At that age, you tend to believe that the people teaching you must encourage you, so criticism like that can stay with you. Looking back, though, it taught me something important: not everyone is going to understand what you’re creating and that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re going in the wrong direction.

Finding my own visual language has probably been one of the biggest challenges. My work has evolved tremendously over the years, and a lot of that happened simply by doing—experimenting, failing, painting over things, changing direction, and learning as I went. There was never a perfect roadmap. I had to become comfortable with not knowing exactly where the work was going and trust that eventually all those different influences and experiments would become something that felt distinctly mine.

With experience, I’ve also learned that being an artist isn’t only about making art. You have to navigate relationships, opportunities, promises, and the business side of a creative career. I’ve had experiences that taught me not to blindly trust people simply because they say they believe in you or have your best interests at heart. I don’t think the answer is becoming cynical. It’s learning to ask better questions, understand what you’re agreeing to and trust your own instincts.
In a strange way, all of those experiences have helped shape where I am today. I’m much less interested in seeking permission or trying to make work that everyone understands. I’m more interested in staying curious, taking risks, continuing to evolve, and creating work that genuinely feels like me.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a contemporary artist working primarily in painting, but my practice has always pushed beyond the traditional canvas. I’ve painted on surfboards, skateboards, furniture, and most recently ping pong paddles, while also developing a growing world of original characters that I hope will eventually exist as collectible objects and toys. My work is rooted in storytelling, play and the different personalities we exhibit and encounter in everyday life.

Visually, my work is known for bold color, expressive characters, and an influence from animation and pop culture. I’ve been fascinated by animation since I was a kid, particularly Japanese animation and artists like Hayao Miyazaki, Satoshi Kon, and Katsuhiro Otomo. Over time, those influences have mixed with my own experiences, travels, memories, and the people and communities around me to create a visual language that feels increasingly personal.

What I’m most proud of is that I’ve never allowed myself to stay in one place creatively. My work has evolved considerably over the years, and I’ve learned to embrace that evolution rather than fight it. I’ve exhibited internationally, created large scale paintings and collaborative projects, and now I’m moving into a much more character driven body of work that brings me back to the reasons I started drawing in the first place.

I think what sets my work apart is the balance between something immediately playful and something more human underneath. The characters can be funny, strange, mischievous, vulnerable, confident, or completely ridiculous, but there is always a personality and a story behind them. I want someone to smile when they first encounter the work, then recognize a little bit of themselves or someone they know, in it.

At the center of everything is an idea I keep returning to: “Don’t forget how to be a kid.” . For me, that doesn’t mean being childish. It means holding onto curiosity, imagination, openness, and the willingness to play without always knowing where it will lead.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite childhood memories is wandering through the National Art Gallery in Sofia, which was housed in the former royal palace in Bulgaria. My mother worked there, so while other kids had playgrounds to explore, I had this enormous old building filled with art, history, hidden corners, and what felt like endless rooms.

I loved roaming around, discovering paintings and sculptures, but I was just as fascinated by the building itself. The staircases, hallways, little corners, and the feeling that there was always something else waiting around the next corner. I didn’t fully understand the significance of all the art at the time. I was simply curious and had the freedom to explore it on my own terms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ivospirov.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ivospirov/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@dontforgethowtobeakid