Alena Poupa
I was always fascinated with colors and fabrics. As a child, I lived in a small village in Czech Republic. I was very close to nature and I developed an eye for design and colors. I always loved art, but visual art wasn’t enough for me, I had to touch everything to experience how it feels. That was probably one of the reason why I chose textiles as my future career. I went to school to become a weaver, and then continued to study on college spinning and weaving (industrial methods). I also went to Technical University in Liberec, Czech Republic, to be a Textile Engineer. After my emigration to Canada I worked in number of technical jobs – like Quality Assurance for carpet company, Sample Maker for ladies apparel company (thanks to my sewing skills). I decided to be more creative and went to study Fashion Design at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada. I received a number of awards for my design creations there. During the study I worked also for National Ballet of Canada in wardrobe department. After graduation I worked in technical positions again (thanks to my Engineering background) –Patternmaker, Sample maker and Technical Designer for underwear and sportswear company and prestige bridal salon. All these companies didn’t survive the pressure of competition from the cheap labor of Orient. When I found myself repeatedly unemployed, I decided to work on my own. I designed and custom sewed evening wear, bridal gowns and home décor. When I started to paint on silk it fascinated me. It is like this medium has a life on its own and a light is shining from within. I also paint with pastels, watercolors, gouache, ink on paper. I paint on cotton, do batik or silkscreen designs. Painting on silk is my favorite.
