About Liba/ Biography

 

Everything may change in our demoralized world except the heart, man’s love and his striving to know the divine. Painting, like all poetry, has its part in the divine; people feel this today just as much as they used to.  ~Marc Chagall

 

I grew up in the forested rural area in the Czech Republic, surrounded by the beautiful nature. Living in the deep connection with nature significantly influenced my artwork and my choice of career as an environmentalist. I created art aside from my studies in Prague and while working for the National Park Podyji in Znojmo (South Moravian region). Since my early childhood, I wished to study visual art. However, I did not find enough courage to pursue my dream because of the Communist regime at the time and its dominant restrictions.

I arrived in British Columbia, Canada, in 1993. After disillusionment and unhappy personal events, I moved with my young daughter to Calgary, Alberta in 1996. After two years working several jobs in Calgary, I decided to listen to my inner voice, and I submitted my portfolio to ACAD. By completing the Artstream program at the Bow Valley College first, I was admitted to ACAD in Calgary in 1998, and graduated in 2002 with President’s Honour and a BFA degree.

 

After my graduation I opened and established LIBA (Life Is the Best Artist) Art Studio. I make living as a freelance artist since then.

 

My work is ultimately about expressing a connection to spirituality, humanity, and nature. Nature represents for me the uncontrolled living system (Gaia) that I consider an infinite source of muse.

 

I participated in several juried group shows in Calgary (Enigma, Panagakos Gallery in Art Central, Arts on Atlantic Gallery, Stone Fish Gallery, Artpoint Gallery & Studios Society and CounterFlux Gallery), in Westlands Art Gallery in Cochrane, in Gallery IS in Red Deer and in Thompson Nicola Shuswap Chapter of Federation of Canadian Artists, Kamloops, BC.I was represented for several years through Westlands Art Gallery in Cochrane and Arts on Atlantic Gallery in Calgary, where I also held my third solo show “Little Discoveries”. I continued showing my work in juried group shows at the Leighton Art Centre and the Ruberto Ostberg Art Gallery in Calgary for several years. My latest solo show titled “The Sands of Time” was held on January 2016 in Essentia, Calgary. Additionally, I became one of the finalists of AVI Dream Home Artist Project 2016. The series of works that celebrated Bowmont Park in Calgary was commissioned by Alberta Magazine Publishers Association. The mural "Reflections of Changes" was commissioned by Telus.

 

 I was a member of the International Encaustic Artists, a full member of the Alberta Society of Artists, an active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, member of Leighton Art Centre Gallery & Museum in Calgary, member of Okotoks Art Gallery, member of Harcourt House Artist Run Centre in Edmonton, and a member of Visual Arts Alberta Association & Canadian Artists Representation for several years.

 

My paintings reside in many private and corporate collections in North America and in the Czech Republic.