Meeting Kompanek

His paintings have decorated our house since I was a small child. His colorful sculptures were on the shelf in my bedroom. His art inspired my imagination, and fueled my lifelong  love for art and creation.

His name is Vladimir Kompanek and he is one of Czechoslovakia's most successful and popular artists. Mr. Kompanek started out as a sculptor carving away simple shapes of country life in Eastern Europe, progressing to painting later on in his life. As you look at his work there is a lot of primitive tradition, including influences from Inuit art, combined with muted, beautiful colors.

My mom with her can-do attitude, decided to look his name up in the phonebook in Slovakia (so simple, right?) and called him, hoping to get in touch and perhaps set up a meeting to go see him. After many calls with no answers she finally got through and she visited him with my sister and my grandmother. She couldn't leave without buying a painting which, like any successful artist, he actually really dislikes; he even inquired about buying back a piece of his work she bought in the 80's!

Anyways, I went and saw him this time, and it was wonderful. Seeing his studio alone was such an inspiration, it just oozed warmth, space and creation. I really just wanted to sit down and paint or draw, its was such a great place to be.

Mr. Kompanek was wonderful to talk to, we talked about his art, view on life and all sorts of other subjects. We then went to visit his exhibition, it was pretty exciting actually coming there and looking at the art with the person that created it! It was a dream come true for me to meet him, and see his work space. He continues to inspire me.