I am lucky to bear the name of one of the most prominent Bulgarian wood-carvers

My name is Mihail Maranov. I was born on May, 1, 1969. I started helping my grandfather Ivan Maranov making some simple things when I was a child. His work carried me away completely. There was a mistery in his work and I wanted to solve it out by myself. I asked him countless questions about would-carving, he answered and patiently showed me different techniques. He spared his praise, for that reason I will never forget the day when he told me I was ready to take his job.

Wood-carving continued marking my life

I graduated in Sofia Applied Arts Secondary School. My wood-carvings participated in numerous exhibitions in Bulgaria. Others had found their place in private collections in the USA, Great Britain, Mexico, Japan, Israel, and Russia.

Nowadays, wood-carving is still my work and lifestyle. I know the wood and when I touch it, I feel the form, which soon will start talking without any words. I made quite a few wood-carved icons and iconostases, wood-carved ceilings and vessels, statuettes, clocks, frames for mirrors and paintings, wood-carved chests, pieces of furniture and separate elements.

Naturally, my life is not only working. I have a wonderful family, which is the other most important "ingredient" of my life. we love to travel together. Among our favorite sites are Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Balkan Mountains, Southern Black Sea Coast and Strandja Mountain, as well as Austria and Germany. Otherwise, I like "heavy" music – heavy, death and industrial metal. This is in brief about me. I will be glad to meet you and discuss with you any ideas and desires of yours regarding wood-carving.