Zlati Evtimova is a Bulgarian artist based in Rome, who was born in a village in the mountain of Orpheus, Rhodope, where music and art are intertwined in everyday life since time immemorial. She grew up very close to traditional art practices and design, exploring the society and nature surrounding her. In particular, she was introduced to the social aspect of traditional art by observing people in her village working and singing together while weaving and creating. Her family house was like a design studio: her mother was well-known designer modeling official garments in the community. Her father used to dye the raw materials for weaving in different color schemes. This key early period in her life helped her explore and establish a strong connection with nature, an appreciation for team work, and an understanding of color schemes and installations.
During the years of radical changes and crises in the country, she started practicing short projects in designing jewelry, clothes, greeting cards, and accessories. She followed back her origins and started collecting folklore textiles, which she arranged, framed and displayed for the first time at the national level. She was also commissioned to decorate celebrations and commercial displays at traditional holidays. Zlati explored and learned from experience and set out her process in art, and through it got to know herself, developed a sound understanding and experience, and established a wide platform for her future art career in fine arts, installations, and sculpture.