Vitolds Kucins

Graduated from the Glass Art Department of the Riga Secondary School of Applied Art and the Textiles Department of the Latvian Academy of Art under the tuition of R. Heimrāts. Since 1989 he teaches at Krimulda School of Art. His creative activities involve original techniques and silk painting. His work has been exhibited since 1977, and he has had many solo exhibitions in Latvia and abroad (Norway, 1991, Finland, 1993 etc.). He was creative director and director of the animated film “The Dog Funs and the Wind” (Suns Funs un vējš, 1978), based on a story by I. Ziedonis. He has illustrated the following books: “Nonsense and Fairytales” by I. Ziedonis (Blēņas un pasakas. R.: Liesma, 1980); V. Upmale “Arnis’ Games” (Arņa spēles. R.: Liesma, 1982); “Boys to the 9th Power” by M. Zālīte (Deviņpuiku spēks. R.: Liesma, 1985); “The Book of Life” by A. Priedītis (Dzīves grāmata. R.: Vanadziņu Grāmatas, 2001); and “The Straupe Sketchbooks” by E. Rudzītis (Straupes skiču burtnīcas. R.: Lauku Avīze, 2009).
For his illustrations to the book “Nonsense and Fairytales” by I. Ziedonis he received a Diploma Second Class in the 22nd USSR Book Competition in 1980, and the Pastariņš Prize in 1982.

For me, a children’s book means memories of childhood, and illustration is an absorbing form of art, because when
I was a child, this is what got me interested in drawing and art as such, and it’s why I became an artist. (Vitolds Kucins)