Petra Dadíková is a painter who doesn’t need to overexplain what drives her work - you only have to look at her paintings. They are full of colour, energy and movement. At times, it feels as if something is pushing out of the canvas, as though the colours themselves had a will of their own. And yet, her path to painting was never carefully planned.
Petra grew up in a house that was always alive. Not only because of the family, but also thanks to the flowers her mother loved. They were everywhere - in the garden, in the kitchen, in the hallway. With every season, the colours changed, as did the mood and the atmosphere of the house. It was in this environment that Petra, even as a child, began to notice things others overlooked: how light breaks on petals, how different shades interact, or how one colour can completely change another.
Later on, she moved towards scenography. That experience gave her a strong sense for space, light and composition. For a while, though, she stepped away from creative work - life simply took her elsewhere. Still, some things stay with you, even when you’re not paying attention to them.
During maternity leave, Petra found her way back to painting. At first quietly, more out of a need to “have something of her own”. But after a few evenings, it was clear. Painting drew her in so deeply that stopping was no longer an option. She describes it simply: it’s an addiction. Once a painting is in progress, she can’t put it aside until she feels it’s finished.
Sometimes it even pushes her to get up early in the morning, before the house wakes up, just to continue. Not out of obligation - but because of an inner urge, a sense that the painting “wants to come out”.
Flowers are a theme Petra keeps returning to. These are not botanically precise depictions, but expressions of emotion. Of the energy flowers give off when you look at them for longer than just a couple of seconds.
Alongside this, she has been increasingly drawn to abstraction. It gives her freedom - to layer, mix, experiment and rework. She works with acrylics and oils, and often uses golden Golden Leaf tapes, which add a subtle yet striking detail to her paintings. It’s a kind of signature - understated, but once you notice it, you’ll always see it.
All of Petra’s paintings share one thing: they feel positive. Not sweet or superficial, but alive. There is a strong pull towards colour, towards movement, and towards a feeling that stays with you even after you step away from the canvas.
