Jirina Marton - Artist Statement

My mother discovered my “artistic” talent when I, being about three years old, drew pictures on the freshly painted kitchen wall. Strangely enough, she did not preserve this early artistic expression of mine, but she screamed at me and even spanked me, and called a man to repaint the kitchen.

It did not destroy my “need” to express myself. I only become wiser in the choice of materials on which I was drawing.

Drawing wasn’t the only passion I had. My mother was singing at the opera house and because she could not afford a babysitter she took me there every time she performed. I did not mind at all, I loved the magic of opera and as a result of it I wanted to be an opera singer. When I told my mother about my decision she said that if I would go to the theatre, she would kill me. So I did not become a singer, because I loved her and did not want her to spend her life in prison.

My grandmother had a different vision of me; she saw me as a prima ballerina and I reluctantly agreed with her. This career ended abruptly at the very beginning, when the dance master, after seeing my dancing abilities, told my grandmother that I was a lost case, and that she would be only losing her money.

This did not traumatize me. Immediately I switched to other careers. I wanted to be a doctor, a teacher, or a Sioux Indian.

Instead of these dreams my first job was in a factory, then I was selling flowers, I was a cleaning lady, an aux pair girl, a painter who painted other painter’s paintings, a Depository Director in one of Prague’s Galleries, and lay-out artist at the Librairie Larousse in Paris.

Then one day, inspired by a friend, I got the idea to illustrate children’s books.
It was the best idea I ever had in my life. I think that I am better at it, than at being a Sioux squaw.