Ivan Jiskra, born 1953, studied vocational glass school in Svetla nad Sazavou and finished it in 1981. In 1982 he began to work at Crystalex glass works in Novy Bor. At the sampling studio of Crystalex he designed new products of cut glass and manufactured them for sample exhibitions, contract fairs and symposiums. In the eighties he continuously participated in glass competitions and was often rewarded as one of the best. He had also taught at Higher and High Industrial Glass School in Novy Bor for 5 years. Nowadays he works as an independent artist and his creation is concerned to plastic glass pictures made by hand by engraving and cutting techniques.
His authorial artworks are unique combination of so called „cold technologies“. They are applied also on artworks from blown glass i.e. vases, bowls, plates or a drinking sets. Furthermore he creates his own rich decors of classic style cuts on lead crystal which could be made in smaller or bigger series, sets etc. The rich variety of glass objects also includes a particular assortment of handcrafted prisms enriched with engraving and cutting. But the author is mainly focused on unique cut and engraved glass pictures with very impressive design. Pictures are made either as original artworks or as thematic series. See gallery.
So far today he has made more than one hundred glass pictures and approximately 70% of them are at their owners in the Czech Republic, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, USA, United Kingdom, Australia, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
Exhibited works: B Konzult gallery in Mimon, M+K Gallery in Jihlava, Pyramida Gallery in Prague, Agropol prestige studio in Prague, Tekton Gallery in Prague, Art salon 96 in Prague, Glassicentr in Kamenicky Senov, School Humanitas in Litvinov, Navratil’s hall in Novy Bor, Gallery Vodicka in Babylon Liberec, Galerie und Cafe in Bad Schandau, For Arch in Prague, Gallery 134 in Cesky Krumlov, Museum of glass in Kamenicky Senov 1998, 2005, J&T Bank in Prague, Theatre in Novy Bor 2005, Museum in Decin 2005.
Permanent exhibitions: Gallery Erpet in Prague, Gallery Czech Crystal in Prague, First Glas Galerie in Munich, Galerie Welti Glaskunst in Düsseldorf, Galerie Herrmann in Drachselsried, Galerie Sous-Terre in Lithoijen, Gallery Minea in Karlovy Vary, Museum of glass in Kamenicky Senov, Kunstgalerie Staphorsius in Westzaan, ARTHEBDA in Houthalen. Plateaux Gallery in London