My Story – From a Box of Pencils to Anatomy Art Loved Around the World
Hello and welcome!
My name is Violeta, and I’m an artist from Bulgaria—a small country in Europe.
I was born into a humble family. My mother, an obstetrician-gynecologist, often worked 24-hour shifts delivering babies. My father was a firefighter, but tragically, he passed away in an accident when I was only 1.5 years old. Since my mother’s job required long hours, I spent most of my early childhood in a quiet rural village with my grandmother.
I didn’t have many toys, but our home was filled with books. Among them were old anatomy textbooks left from my mother and grandmother—full of illustrations, but all in dull black and white.
One Christmas, I received a box of colored pencils and a small coloring book. When I finished it, I turned to those anatomy books and began filling the pages with color—breathing life into organs and systems that once looked so lifeless.
Years later, I graduated during a difficult period in my country’s history. Resources were limited, but I stayed focused on my goals. I became a chemistry teacher at a vocational high school and eventually met the love of my life. Together, we dreamed of starting a family and building a creative business.
We took a leap of faith—took out a loan—and opened a small studio offering sublimation printing on mugs, textiles, and custom gifts. But just as things began to take off, a new economic crisis struck. With a loan to repay and barely enough income to get by, my husband sold his motorcycle and car. He took a full-time job, and I left teaching to focus entirely on saving our business.
It wasn’t easy, but through long hours and sheer determination, we slowly began to grow again. We bought our first Epson printer and expanded our custom services. In 2015, I discovered Etsy and opened my first shop selling mugs.
You can still find it here: https://vikitogifts.etsy.com
Then one day, while visiting my childhood home, I found one of those old anatomy books. As I flipped through the pages, memories came rushing back—along with a new idea. I revived my childhood hobby and began creating colorful, watercolor-style anatomy prints.
I gifted the first few to my OB/GYN, my general practitioner, and even my dentist. Their response was overwhelming—they loved them!
Encouraged, we invested in a larger professional printer, and I opened a second Etsy shop - PrinsFinds. I started small and cautiously, but the kind support and heartfelt reviews from my customers gave me the confidence to keep going.
Today, more than 6 years later, my art has found its way into medical offices, clinics, hospitals, and homes all over the world—bringing warmth, color, and inspiration to places where science and humanity meet.
Thank you for supporting my small business and for letting me do what I love—bringing art, science, and heart together in every piece I create. 🩷
