I am an oil painter who specializes in small scale dog/pet portraits. The paintings shown here range in size from 8"x8" to 12”x16" / 20x20 cm to 30x40 cm. Because I find it important to capture the likeness and character of a given pooch/pet, my paintings are realistic and detailed. I work slowly and carefully to achieve the likeness to the best of my ability. It makes me very happy when people tell me after painting their pup that I have completely captured its character and soul and they are very pleased.
I was born and I grew up in the Czech Republic. In the winter of 1999 I went to the USA with the feeling to discover the world and improve my English. After a few years I found a beautiful job - I ran a private art gallery + picture framing shop for over 16 years where I acquired precise framing experience and retail management skills but also a huge interest in art and I discovered a desire for painting. I didn’t only meet many great artists but I also learnt about many different styles and techniques of painting. I decided to leave the US after 20 years mainly because of my urge to live again in my home country and town. In the winter of 2019 I started living in the Czech Republic again and immediately became a member of the local Atelier of painters and printmakers. My other interests include working in the local puppet theatre, which my father and grandfather were also members of, and then cycling, travelling, teaching English.
In 2004 I enrolled in my first oil painting course which focused on still-lifes and I really liked it. Over the next eight years I learned oil painting with other professional painters, both in their studio and in art centers. My learning expanded from still-lifes to figures and portraits where we had live models. And then one day a friend suggested I paint another friend's dog. And that was Thimba, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, my first dog portrait in November 2011.
I must say that I have always felt a great affection for dogs. I took care of my friends' dogs many times when they went away. And I was very fond of two boxers at my work - in the gallery - my boss’s dogs. I always see a huge connection and love between a dog and its owner and it's sad that this connection lasts very short - that dogs' lives are much shorter than ours. If one likes art and can appreciate it, I think having an original piece of art - a portrait of their pet - is a great idea. And if people want to hang my painting on their wall at home and see it every day, I consider that a personal achievement. If you have any questions about my work, please feel free to contact me.
You can also notice here that I have continued to paint still-lifes since the very beginning of my painting which I do enjoy, and lately I have relished the real Czech desserts.
July-August 2023 - Solo Show at Villa Komenský in Malé lázně Běloves, Náchod, ČR
August 2023 - was invited to a live radio interview at Český rozhlas Hradec Králové
March 2023 - was included on Anna De La Rosa’s blog
January 2023 - was invited to a live talk show on Czech TV called Sama Doma, see it here.
December 2022 - MF Dnes Magazín, Scarlett Wilková wrote about me!
December 2022 - my Atelier group of artists AMAG in the Museum Náchod - “Puppets in Paintings” - paintings of puppets & real puppets
October 2022 - my Atelier group of artists AMAG Náchod - group exhibitions at Castle Kvasiny - “Puppet in Painting”
May-June 2022 - Solo Show at Villa Komenský in Malé lázně Běloves, Náchod, ČR
April 2022 - Michael Weymouth for The Hingham Anchor wrote about me
February 2022 - was featured in Quickklist
January 2022 - Hradecká Drbna, an online news site, wrote about me
January 2020, 2022 - participation in art competitions at the Art Gallery GVUN Náchod
January 2021 - my Atelier group of Artists AMAG Náchod - group exhibition at the Art Gallery GVUN Náchod
October 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 - my Atelier group of artists AMAG Náchod - group exhibitions at Castle Kvasiny
August 2019 - Solo Show at Zahradní Kavárna TREES in Červený Kostelec, ČR
March 2019 - my painting of grapes in a wine glass was used in Magdaléna Ochmanová’s project Po Kráse Vína, a song about beauty of wine
June 2018 - my painting of Greenboy was accepted by the jury for the annual South Shore Art Center's Arts Festival in Cohasset, MA
June 2018 - Boston Voyager magazine published an interview with me
May 2018 - my painting of Tucker was accepted by the jury for the Annual Festival of the Arts at the North River Arts Society in Marshfield, MA
April 2018 - my painting of Charlotte was accepted by the jury for the Annual Juried Show at the Scituate Arts Association in Scituate, MA
July 2017 - my painting of Miss Sweets received the Blue Ribbon Award (one of four) in the South Shore Art Center's Blue Ribbon Members' Show in Cohasset, MA
January 2017 - my painting of Otis was accepted by the jury and received Honorable Mention in the Winter Juried Show at the Duxbury Art Association/Art Complex Museum in Duxbury, MA
May 2016 - Solo Show at Brewed Awakenings, Hingham MA
June 2015 - my painting of Charlotte received Honorable Mention in the South Shore Art Center's Member Show (part of the 60th Annual Arts Festival) in Cohasset, MA
May 2015 - my painting of Cody was accepted by the jury for the Annual Festival of the Arts at the North River Arts Society in Marshfield, MA
