Iva Ouhrabková studied at University of machines  and textile in Liberec, department of glass- making and ceramic machines, Pedagogical faculty in Liberec and Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts, department of stage design with Professor Pavel Kalfus. She has been dedicating herself to ceramic since 1983. Mrs. Ouhrabková worked at the F.X. Šalda’s  theatre  in Liberec  for eight years, she was a lecturer at the University of machines and textile in Liberec ( a department of clothing and textile design) from 1993 till 1996. At the present days she lives and works in Liberec. Membership: 1995 Union of creative artists, 1998 Association of creative artists- ceramists.

Ceramics of Iva Ouhrabková is remarkable. When meeting it, one has an impression of unity and pure style, simple exactness. Only when we observe it more carefully, we find a lot of, at first hidden contrasts. The most striking are the themes: playful, full of fantasy, childly free, often treated joke fully. But besides all this, we can also find a search for principals, deep and archetypes. The way of treatment raises another contrast: even the closed shapes are often rising from open walls, what seems to be a passive objects can be clanged or moved, static objects gain a dynamism when placed well in a space. The greatest contrast is (except for the volume and shape) mediated by touch. When touched, sort,  fragile, and round shapes, sea waves and various stones made of fireclay are rough and harsh. About her work, Mrs. Ouhrabková says: “ I myself work up the clay and fireclay. The energy I put into the clay gets back to the audience and can evoke a desire to resume contact, to communicate, or fit can also invite it to touch or stroke the objects. My objects are haptic and that is why you can find a label, which says:

Touching (stroking) permitted.”