Anita Paegle

Is a graduate of the J. Rozentāls Riga Secondary School of Art and the Graphic Art Department of the Latvian Academy of Art. She is a children’s book illustrator. Ever since 1981, when Paegle began to collaborate with the publishers Liesma and later with the publishers Sprīdītis, she has consistently developed her special, inimitable style of illustration. She has illustrated 25 books altogether, among them many original works by M. Cielēna and J. Baltvilks. She is one of the founders of the Jānis Baltvilks Prize. She regularly contributes illustrations to the children’s magazines Zīlīte (since 1986) and Ezis (since 1990). She has taken part in the 3rd and 4th International Artist’s Book Triennial in Vilnius and the Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava in 1999 and 2001, as well as the Biennial of European Illustration in Japan (2001) and the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Tallinn Illustration Triennial, receiving a diploma in 2003 for her illustrations to M. Cielēna’s book “When the Queen was in Riga” (Kad karaliene bij Rīgā. R.: Jāņa Rozes apgāds, 2001). She has held eleven solo exhibitions in Latvia, France, Poland, Italy and the Czech Republic. A unique event in 2006 was her solo exhibition “Silent orchestra” (Klusuma orķestris) at the Latvian National Museum of Art. This exhibition was also shown at the National Library of Russia in St Petersburg in 2008.

Paegle has regularly received acclaim and awards for her children’s book illustrations. For her illustrations to M. Cielēna’s book “What Clocks Do at Night” (Pulksteņu nakts gaitas. R.: Jāņa Sēta, 1997) she received the 1998 Spring Prize and the 1999 Pastariņš Prize, and for this book in 2000 she was included in the IBBY Honour List of world illustration. For her illustrations to the book “Flutteria and Other Fairytales” by J. Baltvilks (Plīvija un citas pasakas. R.: Preses Nams, 2000) she also received the 2001 Spring Prize and the 2001 Pastariņš Prize. That same year, two books by M. Cielēna that she had illustrated received second and third prize in the annual book competition Most Beautiful Book 2001. These are: “Tales of the City and Tales of the World” and “When the Queen was in Riga” (Pilsētas pasakas un pasaules pasakas, Kad karaliene bij Rīgā. Design: A. Naumovs, A. Sprūdžs. R.: Jāņa Sēta, 2001). The book “Wolves Haul Firewood” by J. Baltvilks (Vilki velk malku. Design: A. Sprūdžs, A. Aleks. R.: Daugava, 2003) won first prize in the annual book competition Most Beautiful Book 2003. For her contribution to the development of children’s book art she was awarded the 2005 Jānis Baltvilks Prize. For her illustrations and design of the fairy-tales “Meow and Purr” by M. Cielēna (Ņau un murr. R.: Alis, 2005) she won first prize in the book art competition Zelta ābele 2005, the 2006 Jānis Baltvilks Prize and the 2007 Indriķis Zeberiņš Prize.

Paegle”s work has been highly acclaimed in recent years as well: the book “Ķipars Pipars” by L. Gundars with her illustrations (R.: Alis, 2008) has been nominated for the 2008 Annual Prize for Book Publishing, and the book “Two Walks” by M. Cielēna (Divas pastaigas. R.: SIA Lietusdārzs, 2010) has been nominated for the 2010 Jānis Baltvilks Prize.

Illustration is a wonderful labyrinth where the artist’s dreams can fly. (Anita Paegle)

References to portfolio:

http://www.anitapaegle.com/