Martina studied fashion design in Brno – the second largest city in the Czech Republic – majoring in Textile and Knitwear. “After graduating,” she says, “I could have started a career as a fashion designer but I wanted to travel and gain more experience. I spent several months in England and the USA. The experiences I had and the people I met drew me into sketching and painting.”

She loves good classic paintings and is particularly fascinated by Impressionism – by its play of perspective and light. “The light is the most important part of the painting,” says the artist. “It can give the right sparkle or completely destroy it. I try to capture the right balance of light and shadow to add depth.”

Martina has appeared on Czech television and has had several successful exhibitions in her country and abroad, among them, South Korea, Scotland and Monaco. A painting of hers was displayed at the Royal Academy of Arts in London in 2008.