<p>The painter Paštika exhibits plastic paintings in Č. Budějovice</p>

České Budějovice - Artist Paly Paštika from Jindřichův Hradec is exhibiting his plastic paintings at the Basilica in České Budějovice starting today. This trained painter-decorator discovered his original technique a year ago while decorating the walls of underground garages in the Mercury shopping center with his abstractions, landscapes, nudes, and animals. He is now showcasing about 40 paintings that he created in the last six months.
    The so-called Milanese walls, which have a rough surface, inspired him so much that he wanted to take advantage of their qualities in free art as well. "I was looking for a substitute for rough texture in paintings, so I used plastic," he explained. The idea came to him when he had some leftover glue and wanted to utilize the material somehow. He now uses the raw material for insulation in buildings.
    He likes contrasts and the ability to highlight what he wants - not only mountains in the landscape but also waves at sea, eyes, or breasts. He has many favorite themes, including depicting Gypsy motifs, but he usually has to study them first in the works of other painters.
    Paštika was born to Romani parents, but they left him in early childhood. "Soldiers found me in the snow near Kolín and placed me in an orphanage in Klánovice. The Avia Letňany company had patronage over it, and its employees took children from there for Christmas. Originally, my dad and mom just took me for the holidays," he reminisced about when he was six.
    He has been painting since childhood and was also engaged in music and dance. He lived with his adoptive parents in Prague until the army, then married a Romani girl and moved to Jindřichův Hradec. He has four daughters.
    In Hradec, he met architect Jiří Střítecký from Atelier 8000 17 years ago, who was tasked with transforming the local public restrooms into a disco. "Paly was supposed to paint it as a painter-decorator, but he looked at our designs and then told us that he could do it better. And it was true," Střítecký told ČTK.
    He claims he has never encountered such a spontaneous and profound talent before. "They are simple compositions, playful and cheerful. The ease with which he paints is amazing. Don't look for deep intellectual themes in them; you won't find them. Not that he hasn't tasted them. After all, he has drunk such bitter sips in his Romani life that many of us would not handle them," Střítecký wrote in the invitation to the opening and is preparing a painting studio for Paštika in Budějovice.
    In addition to paintings, the artist also decorates walls in interiors with various motifs, both in public spaces and apartments. He also applies his method of plastic paintings there - he shapes the theme on the wall, lets it dry until the next day, and then uses colors. He likes all colors, but especially blue, red, and yellow.
    "Our Central European approach to life lacks this enormous temperament; with this, we bring a bit of warmth from the south here," praised architect Střítecký. According to him, Paštika's paintings fit beautifully into architecture because they can enliven walls, ceilings, and outdoor spaces. "Beautiful things brighten up spaces," he added.