“I have been interested in the textile arts since childhood and throughout my life. I made my first attempts in textile arts at the Art School for Children (ĽŠU) in my hometown of Poprad (1962). Later, I deepened my artistic skills and abilities at the Secondary School for Applied Art in Košice. After graduating, I worked as a company designer. Fortunately, after maternity leave, I was able to return to my passion. I found my working home at the Centre for Folk Art Production (ÚĽUV) in Bratislava, where I have been working ever since.

I came to bobbin lace through the book of Elena Holéczyová. I felt so enchanted by her works, which inspired my lifelong love of bobbin lace making. My first „schoolbook“ was Bobbin Lace Making (Paličkovanie), written by Mária Trandžíková. Gradually, I was getting more and more into this marvellous textile art. I have been making bobbin lace more intensively since 1996, when I became an approved lacemaker for ÚĽUV. I created several collections of tablecloths, place mats, bobbin lace pictures, Christmas decorations and greeting cards, and I also designed bobbin lace for dresses for the department of textile design. For my work, I was honoured with the title of Master of Traditional Arts specialising in bobbin lace (2001). In the same year I also became a lecturer at the newly-established School of Traditional Arts at the Regional Centre of Traditional Arts ÚĽUV in Bratislava, where I have been delivering textile arts courses ever since. As there was a lack of patterns on the market, I also started to design patterns for my students, at their request. Over time, I became attracted to regional Slovakian bobbin lace. I am fascinated by its variety, richness of colours and ingenuity, and I began to draw the lace patterns of the Slovakian regions, to preserve the way it is made. I like the colourful lace and completely adore modern lace. I encourage participants of my courses to apply their imagination to their work.

Alongside the study of regional lace, I create my own work, which I have presented in many collective and individual exhibitions in Slovakia and abroad. Visitors could see my works at events of ÚĽUV, at lace makers’ meetings in Bratislava and Nová Dubnica, and at the International Bobbin Lace Festivals in Prešov, Krakovany, Rožňava and other small exhibitions organised in Slovakia. I presented my work at Krajkářské trhy (Bobbin lace fair) in Prague, Vamberk and Valašské Meziříčí; at the international festivals in Austria, Estonia, Poland, Germany and the International Festival of Creativity in Jerusalem (Israel); and I attended the Bobbin Lace Olympics in Kravaře (Kravařská paličkyáda in Kravaře pri Českej Lípe). I also presented my work not only at the regular annual exhibitions of bobbin lace clubs Okolok, Priadky, Vretienko, which I am a member of, but also at the national exhibitions in Trenčín, Bratislava, Martin and Nová Dubnica. My original pieces were part of exhibitions at ÚĽUV, such as Svet podľa nití (The world in threads), Kurzy v kurze (Directions at course), Klubová sezóna (Club‘s season) and at the exhibition of textile miniatures in Bratislava and Klaffenbach (Germany). I also held independent author exhibitions in Bratislava, Nová Dubnica, Košice and Žilina. I have been awarded several prizes and certificates for my works presented in national contests.

Bobbin lace is not the only textile art that has inspired me. I am also a devotee of various weaving techniques, such as weaving loom, weaving on the frame, woven textile making on plates and cards, and a wristband woven technique. I teach these techniques and also continually educate myself about them. My research resulted in the publication of several brochures for the School of Traditional Folk Manufacturing and Crafts ÚĽUV (Škola tradičnej ľudovej výroby a remesiel ÚĽUV). I am the author of the publications Twines and Plaited cords (Šnúry a pletence) (2011), Woven Bands (Tkanice) (2012), Wristbands (Zápästky) (2014) and in the ÚĽUV children’s edition, My Crafts: Weaving (Tkanie) (2012). I also cooperated in preparation of the booklets Bobbin Lace from Hont (Paličkovaná čipka z Hontu), Bucks Point Laces from Brezová pod Bradlom surroundings (Tylové čipky z okolia Brezovej pod Bradlom) and Wooling (Vlnenie).

I also teach other popular techniques such as batik, felting, needle lace, netting, fringe binding, etc. In my courses, I always strive to provide a wealth of information and to ignite a love for textile arts.“