Leoš Smejkal was born on April 15th 1973 in Ústí nad Labem. He was brought on the track of being a glass artists while studying at the Secondary School of Glassmaking in Kamenický Šenov, where he studied since 1987 in the glass cutting section; of that he spend two years under the supervision of professor Ladislav Oliva. This professor had a fundamental impact on Leoš’s further development. Since 1993 he studies at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava (glass studio under professor Gavula). During his studies in Bratislava Smejkal for example created a wing stained glass altar with early gothic motives of German paintings or his work “The Rose Garden” that combines glass and wood. He worked on a number of projects during his studies in Czech glass factories. Following his return to the Czech Republic in 1998 he initially settled down in Nový Bor and later in Kamenický Šenov and his cooperation with local glass factories and craftsmen is very intensive ever since. From the end of the 90s and thanks to his partner Dáša Pánková he now focuses more on the material itself and especially the metallurgical processing. Leoš Smejkal is an excellent glass cutter and he also places great demands on his fellow workers. He mainly creates at the glass factory Ajeto, which in his opinion, is best equipped for the tough demands of an artist. Leoš Smejkal currently lives in Kamenický Šenov and does his work in a studio in Nový Bor.
Leoš Smejkal
* 1973, Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic
Education
Secondary School of Glassmaking, Kamenicky Senov
Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Bratislava, Slovak Republic
Collections
Grand Crystal Museum, Taipei, Taiwan, CHN
Chateau Lemberk, Czech Republic