OLDŘICH JELEN

Oldřich Jelen (*1961) is a Czech artist who lives and works in Prague. After three years of studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Prague, he began working as an illustrator for leading Czech magazines and newspapers. He first contributed to Národní Listy, where he met lyricist Michal Horáček. This encounter was fundamental to his subsequent work. In 1993, he illustrated Horáček's "Letters of Love and Hate" in Mladý Svět magazine, which brought him to the attention of the wider public as a new and original artist. In 1998, he began working as an illustrator for the Albatros publishing house, creating illustrations for dozens of books. For 25 years, he has been dedicated to the graphic technique of stone printing (lithography), in which he showcases his perfect drawing skills. He co-creates his graphic prints in a lithographic workshop with master printer Petr Korbelář. The craftsmanship of these graphic prints is exceptional even on a global scale. In addition to independent graphic art, he primarily focuses on creating ex libris for collectors from around the world. He is a member of the Hollar Association of Czech Graphic Artists and a member of the Society of Ex Libris Collectors and Friends.