simona.smatana@gmail.com 

HELLO!
My name is Simona and I'm a freelance illustrator. I mostly draw digitally with my tablet and with colored pencils on paper. With every projekt I love trying different illustration approaches. This allows me to grow and challenge my own creative habits. 

In 2019, my debut picture book Joe the beekeeper was published. At this point I found myself in a new position of a storyteller and discovered that I enjoy being not only an illustrator but also a narrator at the same time. Since then I've created another three picturebooks (Frankie from a compost pile, Elise is not a monster, Hugo the dung beetle). My books have been translated into more than 12 languages so far.

I’ve also illustrated a number of titles for other authors, including Danube-the magic river, Bratislava-the magic metropolis, A boy and a painter, Thee kittens of auntie Mili.

I studied advertising design at University of Bedfordshire in England (2010) and international marketing at Edinburgh Napier University in Scotland (2011). I’m a member of ASIL - Slovak Illustrators Association.

I live in a small town called Trnava (Slovakia) together with my husband Martin Smatana and our dog Emil. in 2021 we've started our own little studio BURIZON where we work on our projects. When I'm not drawing, you can find me beekeeping. Or hiking. Or exploring cities. Or finding beauty in ordinary things.
Let's work together
Are you interested in publishing my book in your country? Please contact my agent Peter Michalík: peter@monokel.ooo 
At the moment I am NOT available for new commissions.

Selected Awards
• 2023 Najkrajšia kniha Slovenska (Slovakia)
• 2022 Zlatá Stuha (Czech republic)
• 2020 Slovak Design Award: Honorable Mention for Exquisite Illustrations in Communication Design
• 2020 Best Children‘s Book of the Year (The Library for Children and Young Adults Kosice)


Selected Clients  
FORBES magazine, MAGNUS magazine, Malina design studio, Folk a Milk, WeTransfer, Visegrad Fund, Slovak Presidency of the Council of the EU, IKAR publishing, SLOVART publishing, EGRES publishing, UVEA Mediklinik, DVA, Prales, Remini, City of Trnava, Ján Palárik Theatre, Theatre of Andrej Bagar, Pucle, Nadvorie, TRNAVA radio, Monokel publishing, Magazine Slniecko, Magazine Raketa, Labyrint publishing, Vasa Lekáren...

Festivals and exhibitions
Solo exhibition - Joe the beekeeper, Elektrarna Piestany, 2021 (Slovakia)
27th BIB in Japan - collective exhibition, 2020-2021 (Japan)
“Dve knizky o mede” - exhibition in city Library of Piestany, 2020 Piestany (Slovakia)
Solo exhibition - Islands of colours, Danubiana Meulensteen Art Museum 2020, Bratislava (Slovakia)
Solo exhibition - Maliar a chlapec, Gallery of Ludovit Fulla 2019, Ruzomberok (Slovakia)
Solo exhibition - Joe the beekeeper, Galerie Krystal 2018, Havířov (Czech republic)
TVOR! Farbrika Umenia, Mestská kniznica Partiáznske 2017, Partizánske (Slovakia)
Creative Expo Taiwan 2017, Taipei Expo Park, Taipei (Taiwan)
Solo exhibition-Three Kittens of Aunt Mily, AF bookshop 2016, Trnava (Slovakia)
LUSTR illustration festival 2014, Prague (Czech republic)
Solo exhibition Artforum bookshop 2012, Trnava (Slovakia)
MOR HO Collective 2013, London (UK)
International Festival of Animation Arts 2012, Saint-Pétersbourg (Russia)
Animateka 2012, Maribor and Ljubljana (Slovenia)
Supertoon 2012, Island of Brac (Croatia)
Monstra Festival 2011, Lisbon (Portugal)
Fest Anca 2011, Zilina (Slovakia)
Festival du court métrage 2011, Altkirch (France)
Festival Internazionale Cortometraggi 2011, Malesco (Italy)
DA&D New Blood 2010, London (UK)