About Jitka

I wish I could say that painting has been a part of my life and passion since early childhood, but unfortunately, my story is different.

I never thought I would paint or draw. Instead, I enjoyed reading and writing. From an early age, I wrote stories, fairy tales, and poems. To be fair, I did illustrate one story, but that was in the third grade. I couldn’t draw people, so I concluded that I’d have to stick to just paper and pen. In high school, I set aside my pen and notebook to focus on my studies and prepare for university. My parents talked me out of pursuing journalism, so I studied languages and later became a teacher. Occasionally, I would look wistfully at my old notebook filled with stories and my pen, but it wasn’t until later that I found the courage to return to my hobby—ironically, during a challenging period when a colleague at work began reporting me. That’s when I decided to give it a try. I picked up my pen and my old notebook and began writing again—first for my children and, over time, for myself. That’s how my children’s book, Tony K, was born.

 

When I saw the beautiful illustrations for my book by Jindřich Kovařík at the publishing house, I felt like crying. Imagine—I create something, and someone else brings it to life through drawings. It was an incredibly magical and beautiful experience, and I felt like I was floating on a cloud of happiness. That’s when I decided I wanted to learn to capture my own thoughts through art.

I enrolled in the Praga Prima studio and began learning the basics under expert guidance. I continued to develop these basics in other studios and through numerous workshops as I searched for my own style. Since then, I’ve never stopped painting, and aside from writing—which took a backseat for a while—I’ve discovered a new part of myself.

I have a small studio near Prague where I spend a lot of time. I enjoy painting with oils and watercolors, though I occasionally experiment with other art supplies that I’ve collected over the years. I love colors. I love when a painting I create lights up a wall and brings positive energy to a room.

Oil painting holds a special charm for me. Oil paints are vibrant; they can be spread across the canvas and blended beautifully. I love using a palette knife and creating textures. I believe the palette knife is perfect for painting flowers. My work isn’t strictly realistic, though I don’t shy away from realism. My flowers are more suggestive, capturing an atmosphere or feeling. The textures enhance the vividness of the oil paints. When I use a brush, I love seeing each individual stroke. The scent of oil paints appeals to me—sometimes, as I paint, I imagine I can smell the flowers. Isn’t that peculiar?

Watercolor is another medium I often and gladly use. Sometimes, I create sketches in watercolor to plan how a finished oil painting will look. Other times, watercolor becomes the final medium for an entire piece. Watercolor can be blended, though it allows very little room for corrections. I frequently practice watercolor in sketchbooks, experimenting with colors and composition, and I go through many test sheets before starting a full painting. I love the spontaneity of watercolor—painting without any pencil sketch beneath. In such cases, everything depends on each brushstroke, the amount of water, and the type of watercolor paper used.

With love,

Jitka Chomova