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This section features coins whose design was created by the artist – from the initial concept to the final visual solution.
Arta Ozola-Jaunarāja is renowned both as a book illustrator and as an easel graphic artist. Her graphic sheets, created using techniques such as etching, drypoint, letterpress, and more, often evoke a delicate, lyrical, and light atmosphere. Fine lines, as delicate as strands of hair in some areas and gently thickened in others, form looping patterns within transparent grids. Upon closer inspection, these grids reveal intricate elements of geometric and floral motifs, as well as stylised human figures. Mysterious and evocative references to bygone eras, traces of ancient cultures, and the striking parallels and connections between lands, nations, eras, and generations. At times, her graphics resemble delicate crochet work, crafted with the precision and skill, achievable only by artists of the highest calibre.
In her book art, Arta Ozola-Jaunarāja has a particular affinity for illustrating poetry collections. She creates illustrations for these works – more precisely, she crafts lyrical visual interpretations using an ink pen or fine watercolour brushes, sometimes employing etching techniques. Recently, she has also increasingly utilised a specialised computer program in her work. She designs postcards and is actively involved in advertising and packaging design. She has created around 100 stamps for Latvijas Pasts, including the series Tautastērpi (Folk costumes; 1993), Ziemassvētki (Christmas; 1994), Cimdi (Mittens; 2003), and Latvijas bākas (Lighthouses of Latvia; Salacgrīva, 2017, Ragaciems, 2018, etc.). Moreover, her work on the series Latvijas muzeju fondi (Latvian Museum Collections) and Latvijas muzeji (Latvian Museums; since 2020) is still ongoing.
Arta Ozola-Jaunarāja was born on 10 January 1963 in Jelgava.
Arta Ozola-Jaunarāja graduated from Riga Secondary School of Applied Arts in 1982 and later from the Graphic Art Department of the Art Academy of Latvia in 1988. She earned her Master of Humanities degree in 2003.
She was the artistic editor for the magazine Rīgas Modes (1989–1990). She has served as a jury member for the book competition Golden Apple Tree for several years and was also part of the jury for the International Baltic Book Art Competition in 2014.
She has been a member of the Latvian Artists' Union since 1993.
Arta Ozola-Jaunarāja has participated in exhibitions of graphics, miniature graphics, and book art since 1986. The most recent major exhibitions in Latvia and abroad include the 4th Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (2013), European Professional Doll Art Festival in Riga (2014, 2015, and 2016/2017), the 25th International Biennial of Illustration Bratislava (2015), and the exhibition of Latvian illustrators' works titled Atrasts grāmatā (Found in a Book) at Cēsis Exhibition Hall (2020). The artist held a solo exhibition in Riga in 1994.
Arta Ozola-Jaunarāja earned the first place at the 21st Inter-republic Book Design and Illustration Competition in 1988, received a diploma at the 2nd Riga Miniature Graphics Triennial in 1990, and was honoured with a diploma at the Triennale of Book Art Vilnius 90. She was also awarded a diploma and a prize at the Baltics Graphics Triennial in Sweden (1993), received multiple prizes at the competition The Most Beautiful Book (2001–2005), the main prize at the book art competition Golden Apple Tree (2008), and a diploma at Riga Picture Book Quadrennial (2014). Latvijas Banka's coin "Rainis un Aspazija" was ranked first in a survey of public library users and was named the Coin of the Year 2016 (the author of the plaster model is Ligita Franckeviča, 2017), etc.
The biography was prepared by Rūta Muižniece,
Master of Arts
