Illustrator Nominee: Slovak Republic

Ol'ga Bajusová
Slovak Republic, Illustrator

Ol'ga Bajusová was born in Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia in 1954. Having majored in graphics and illustration, in the years 1978 through 1984 she studied at Bratislava's Academy of Fine Arts. After graduation, she worked as an illustrator, in particular illustrating children's books. She has worked with many publishing houses, and has contributed illustrations to many children's magazines including Včlelka and Siniečko.

From the very beginnings of her practice as an artist, Bajusová exercised her own, authentic artistic expression. She is able to express serious issues through humour in a manner that instructs and enlightens any young reader in a spontaneous way. She is regarded as an artist who has great sympathy with any text which she illustrates, and through the insertion of small details can capture the spirit of the words which she illustrates in a way that conveys meaning to a reader who is not yet ready to read words.

Bajusová has also established a reputation for her illustrations of classic Slovakian fairy tales, such as Slncové dievčatko and Zlatá brána and for her sympathetic interpretation of simple children's verses in Mechúrik Koščúrik s kamarátmi. Here, animals, trees and other objects from the natural world are given human characteristics that are believable, yet witty and incisive. Linking imagination and reality is a distinctive feature of her work; to achieve this, she generally works on the fine details of her drawings and overlays these with aquarelle to heighten whatever effects she hopes to achieve.

For her contribution to the art of children's book illustration, Ol'ga Bajusová has been awarded numerous awards and prizes. Her work has been exhibited in Slovakia, Canada and the USA.