Ūna Laukmane

Trained as movement director at the Faculty of Film and Theatre of the Moscow Institute of Culture. She is a graduate of the Textiles Department of the Latvian Academy of Art. Since 1994 she has actively participated in exhibitions held in Riga and abroad by the Latvian Textile Art Association. She has also had several solo exhibitions. She has designed costumes and sets for several theatre productions, collaborating with Valmiera Drama Theatre, the National Theatre and the New Riga Theatre (“If You”re a Piglet”, 2007, and “Teacher Jaap and the Class”, 2010). She is active in book art, creating illustrations and book designs. She was nominated and won second prize in the 2002 Annual Prize for Book Publishing, for the book “Innies and Outies” by I. Zandere (Iekšiņa un āriņa. R.: Preses Nams, 2002). For this classic volume of poetry by I. Zandere the artist created original textile illustrations.

Since 2004 Ū. Laukmane is art editor for the publishing house liels un mazs. Her book designs win acclaim in book art competitions year after year. For example, she received the special award in the book art competition Zelta ābele 2005 and was nominated for the 2006 Jānis Baltvilks Prize for the book “Tales of Children’s Lives” (Pasakas par bērnu dzīvi. R.: liels un mazs, 2005), designed by Ū. Laukmane. The diverse content of the book (fairy-tales made up by children) and illustrations by five artists – I. Maurīte, A. Vītoliņš, G. Gabrāns, O. Zitmanis and K. Neiburga – has been assembled in a compact and impressive design. She developed an original concept and created mixed media illustrations (pastels, acrylic, pencil, etc.) for the book/toy “Travelling with Big Charlotte” by I. Zandere (Ceļojums ar lielo Šarloti. R.: liels un mazs, 2006). She has also created a set of poetry cards “Letters from Dolls” (Leļļu vēstules. R.: liels un mazs, 2008), distinctive in terms of the concept and design quality. Laukmane designed characters and costumes for the book “Latvian Animals” by I. Zandere (Latviešu zvēri; concept and directing: M. Grauds; design: R. Briede, A. Briedis; photographs: K. Kalna. R.: liels un mazs, 2009). The creators of this book have also received the 2010 Jānis Baltvilks Prize.

For me, a children’s book is like a good friend, with whom it’s interesting to be at any age, any place and any time.
The illustrations in a children’s book need to acquaint the reader with this good friend, giving the reader an interest
in continuing the friendship. (Ūna Laukmane)