About me

Since I can remember, nothing has ever captivated me more than nature.

Growing up in Varazdin, surrounded by lush greenery, I found solace and inspiration in the natural world from an early age. Exploring the outdoors and being in the company of animals became a cornerstone of my childhood, igniting within me a profound sense of camaraderie, thankfulness, and vitality.

One of my favorite pastimes was climbing trees, especially the old cherry tree in our backyard, where I would often find myself dangling from its highest branches, feeling the rush of freedom and adventure. These experiences instilled in me a deep connection with nature, a connection that only grew stronger over the years.

As I matured, my love for nature evolved, particularly as I developed a passion for horses. Spending time outdoors became a necessity, a way to nourish my soul and rejuvenate my spirit. This affinity for nature led me to explore the picturesque landscapes of Varazdin and the serene banks of the Drava River, guided by my father’s wisdom and love for the outdoors.

Upon relocating to Zagreb to pursue my studies at the Academy of Fine Arts, I found myself yearning for the tranquility of nature amidst the hustle and bustle of city life. Adopting a dog named Tara became a turning point, as our adventures together sparked a newfound appreciation for hiking and exploring the countryside, particularly the breathtaking vistas of Medvednica.

It was during my first visit to Velebit in 2004 that I fell in love with the majestic mountain, its rugged beauty captivating my artistic soul. This love affair with nature led me to enroll in an alpinist school, embarking on a journey of self-discovery and resilience that culminated in my participation in the First Croatian Women’s Alpinist Expedition on Cho Oy in 2007.

This life-changing expedition not only tested my physical endurance but also revealed the depth of my inner strength and spirit. It was a testament to the profound bond between humanity and nature, a bond that continues to inspire my artistic endeavors to this day.

After earning my diploma from the Zagreb Academy of Fine Arts in 2006, I embarked on a career in the arts, initially focusing on graphic design. However, the call of painting remained strong, leading me to return to my true passion after nearly a decade hiatus.

Today, my paintings serve as a reflection of my inner power, spirituality, and profound connection with nature. Through my art, I strive to convey the transformative power of nature and the healing energy of artistic expression, inspiring others to reconnect with themselves and the world around them, and raise awareness of the importance of nature and its protection.

As I continue to explore the symbiotic relationship between art and nature, my ultimate goal is to spread the message that the blending of the two is essential for human wellbeing on a global scale. For me, painting is not just a creative outlet—it’s a way of life, a journey of self-discovery, and a celebration of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us.



Solo exhibitions:

  • 2024. “Endless Horizons” Exhibition space of the Kajfešov brijeg Library, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2023. “Endless Horizons: Artistic Exploration of Nature” – French Institute Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2023. “Eyes Full of Sky” – Exhibition commemorating the 15th anniversary of the First Croatian Women’s Mountaineering Expedition on Cho Oyu 8201m, in collaboration with Irena Gayatri Horvat – Dome Gallery, Zagreb
  • 2023. Forest Reflections, Special Police Gallery, Zagreb
  • 2023. Trees, Galerija Usput, CMR, Zagreb
  • 2023. My colors of the Himalayas, Vladimir Nazor Gallery, Zagreb
  • 2023. About green, Gallery Oblok, Zagreb
  • 2022: Sketches from the Himalayas, Brela, Croatia, Exhibition on the occasion of the 15th anniversary of the First Croatian Women’s Alpine Expedition to Cho Oyu
  • 2020. Zagreb, Contrast Gallery, “ Olive trees and people”, Croatia
  • 2018. Zagreb, European House Zagreb, exhibition of paintings and drawings ‘’Gojanovic – Krupa – Martinovic’’, Croatia
  • 2012. Zagreb, MORH Zvonimir Gallery, ‘I Touch the Sky’, in collaboration with Irena Gayatri Horvat, Croatia
  • 2012. Zabok, Green room gallery, ‘‘ Make me a famous artist! ’’, Croatia
  • 2009. Hvar, Stari Grad, Old Town Museum, ‘‘ Hvar ’’, Croatia
  • 2008. Zagreb, Dome Gallery, ‘‘ Road, Passage, Threshold ’’, Croatia
  • 2007. Varazdin, Larus Gallery, ‘‘ My Himalayan Experiences ’’, Croatia
  • 2007. Selce, Terme Selce Gallery, “My colors of the bora”, Croatia
  • 2006. Risnjak National Park Administration, “Trees give birth to the forest”, Croatia
  • 2005. Zagreb, Student Center Gallery, ‘‘ Self-Portraits ’’, Croatia
  • 1997. Varaždin, ‘Sunflower Gallery’ Gallery, Croatia
  • 1994. Varaždin, ‘Youth Forum Galleries’, Croatia

Online solo exhibitions:

  • 2021. / 2022. Portal ” Wilderness time – records from nature” – https://vrijemedivljine.wordpress.com/

    Explanation: in the project within the Digital Adaptation Program 2021/2022, through the project “Wilderness Time – Nature Records” organized by HDLU Zagreb, which was financially supported by the Ministry of Culture and of the Croatian Media, Jelena Martinović is fully presented in virtual galleries with her paintings, drawings, photographs and videos, which can be seen at the following links:
  1. Jelena Martinovic: Videos from nature, February 19, 2022.
  2. Jelena Martinovic: Painted poetry, January 29, 2022.
  3. Jelena Martinovic :Mountaineering Diary through Painting and Drawing, virtual exhibition, January 10, 2022.
  4. Jelena Martinovic: Photographs from Nature, virtual exhibition, December 2022
  5. Women in Phases, Port-art-women, https://www.portartwomen.com/?page_id=2244

Group Exhibitions

  • 2024. “They Are Here”, Cultural Center Osijek, Osijek
  • 2024. “8. Zagreb summer art salon 2024 – I dream of a better world”, Kontrast Gallery – Dubrava Cultural Center
  • 2024. “Authenticity lies in the eye of the beholder”, selected thematic project of HDLU of Istria, gallery of HDLU of Istria, Pula, Croatia
  • 2024. They Are Here, Museum of the City of Vinkovci, Vinkovci, Croatia
  • 2024. Selected thematic project of HDLU of Istria VODA / WATER / ACQUA, gallery of HDLU of Istria, Pula, Croatia
  • 2024 HULULK 10 exhibition, jubilee exhibition on the occasion of 10 years of activity, Art&CeRZE gallery, Zagreb
  • 2024 international exhibition “Natura”, Golden Duck Gallery, Budapest, Hungary
  • 2024.Palm Sunday2024, exhibition of members of the Croatian Association of Fine Artists and Fine Art Critics, HULULK exhibition space – Farof Gallery, Vugrovec County Hall, Sesvete
  • 2024.” Trace of Gesture”, selected thematic project of HDLU Istria, gallery of HDLU Istria, Pula, Croatia
  • 2024: EX TEMPORE – Magistrat Gallery and Small Gallery of the Ptuj Art Gallery, Ptuj, Slovenia
  • 2024. Exhibition of newly admitted members of the HDLU, Kula- Stražarnica Varaždin Gallery, Varaždin
  • 2023. Maranatha – Christmas exhibition of HULULK members, Exhibition space of the Green and Blue Association Sesvete, Kelekova 2, Sesvete.
  • 2023. Miniature Exhibition – 3rd Pocket Edition, National Library of the City, Dubrovnik, Croatia
  • 2023. 2nd Zagreb Black Friday Art Walk, Special Police Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2023. Art Colony Dubrava 2023 – as part of the Artupunktura project in Dubrava, at the Cultural Center Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2023. Art Zagreb, art fair at the Zagreb Fair
  • 2023. 3rd INTERNATIONAL BIENNIAL OF ART VISION, ETICS – LIE / LIE 2023, Novo Mesto, Slovenia
  • 2023. Twist out Cancer, collective humanitarian exhibition of the Brushes with Cancer Midwest project, Zhou B Art Center, Chicago IL, USA Saganworks
  • 2023. Pula Drawing Biennale, DAI-SAI Gallery, City Gallery Pula, and HDLU of Istria Gallery, Pula, Croatia
  • 2023. “7th Zagreb Summer Art Salon 2023 – Freedom”, Kontrast Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2023. “6th Boutique Art Fair “Non-Aligned”, Lauba, Zagreb
  • 2023. “Cult of Ugliness”, exhibition as part of the thematic project “Cult of Ugliness” by curator Andrej Zbašnik as part of the program of the HDLU of Istria for the year 2023, Gallery of the HDLU of Istria, Pula, Croatia
  • 2023. Yellow, an exhibition as part of the HDLU of Istria thematic project titled “Yellow”, the third thematic project curated by Eugen Borkovsky; HDLU Istria Gallery, Pula, Croatia
  • 2023. “Red”, an exhibition as part of the HDLU of Istria thematic project titled “Red”, the second collective project in 2023, exhibition curator Eugen Borkovsky; HDLU Istria Gallery, Pula, Croatia
  • 2023. “Mystery of the Cross”, exhibition space/crypt of the monastery-parish church B.D. Marije Anđeoska, Sesvetksa Sopnica, Zagreb
  • 2023 “Requiem for Beauty”, author’s project curated by Milan Marin, president of the HDLU of Istria, HDLU of Istria Gallery, Pula, Croatia
  • 2023. “They Are Here”, Museum of the City of Vinkovci, Vinkovci, Croatia
  • 2022. “Christmas – the second name of the family”, a group exhibition of HULULK members, Blue and Green Sesvete Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2022. First Zagreb Black Friday Art Walk, Gallery of Special Police,  Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2022.- “Parallel world” – Exhibition as part of the author’s project “Artist’s print”, Ana Marinović, graduate graphic artist, in cooperation with the “Association for the development of fine arts, innovative singer-songwriters and literary promotion”, Gallery “Association for the development of fine arts” , innovative singer-songwriters and literary promotion” Zetska 2, Belgrade, Serbia
  • 2022 – “Line 2022” – an author’s project by Ana Marinović, graduate graphic artist, realized within the framework of the Creative Factory Association, Toulouse Lotrek Gallery, Belgrade, Serbia
  • 2022. “18. INTERBIFP, International Bienal Festival of Portrait, Tuzla, Bosnia and Hercegovina
  • 2022. 5 Boutique Art Fair Nesvrstani, Lauba Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2022. “3nd Zagreb Drawing Festival”, InArt Gallery, Trnsko Municipality; Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2021. “Christmas is for me”, a group exhibition of HULULK members, Blue and Green Sesvete Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2021. . “3nd Zagreb Drawing Festival”, InArt Gallery, Trnsko Municipality; Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2020. “Animalism in Photography, Drawing and Painting”, group exhibition of members and friends of Croatian Artist Association Zagreb in the Gallery of the Faculty of Economics and Small Gallery of the Faculty of Economics in Ljubljana, Slovenia – (group jury, conceptual exhibition)
  • 2020. “2nd Zagreb Drawing Festival”, InArt Gallery, Trnsko Municipality; Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2018. ‘‘ Zagreb Summer Art Salon 2018 – Touch of Nature ’’ at the Dubrava Cultural Center, Zagreb – (group jury, concept exhibition), Croatia
  • 2018. ‘‘ New Perspectives 2018 – Exhibition on the Occasion of 150 Years of Croatian Societies of Fine Artists ’’, European House Zagreb, Zagreb – (group jury, conceptual exhibition), Croatia
  • 2017. ” Zagreb Summer Art Salon – Imaginary Spaces ”, Croatian Artist Association Zagreb, Vladimir Filakovac Gallery, Zagreb – (group jury, concept exhibition), Croatia
  • 2016. “Zagreb Art Salon 2016”, Croatian Artist Association Zagreb, European House Zagreb, Zagreb – (group jury, concept exhibition), Croatia

Earlier group exhibitions

  • 2013. Lecture and group exhibition on the occasion of the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts in Moscow, Moscow, Russia
  • 2012. 31st Youth Salon, Croatian Artist Association, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2011 – 2017. Annual exhibitions of Croatian Artist Association members, Prsten Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2010. 30th Youth Salon, Likum Gallery, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2010. 45th Zagreb Salon, Croatian Artist Association, Zagreb, Croatia2010. ‘Minimum Maximum 2 religion’, exhibition of miniatures, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Conceptual group exhibitions:

  • 2010. Exhibition of works by the art workshop Karlik Evi, Cappadocia, Turkey
  • 2009. Slovenia Open to Art, ‘‘ Other Nature ’’, Lična hiža Gallery, Ajdovščina, Slovenia, curator Anamarija Štibl Šajn2009
  • 2009. “Image as a Hermetic Icon of the New Age”, “Arrival in Heritage”, Abonos Gallery, Orašje, Bosnia and Hercegovina, curator Vladimir Gudac
  • 2008. – “Island as Utopia”, project “Arrival in Heritage”, Gallery of the Scientific Library, Zadar, curator Nikola Albaneže, Croatia
  • 2008. Exhibition of the collection “Mother”, Franciscan Monastery Humac, Bosnia and Hercegovina
  • 2006. ‘Below Level 6’, Zagreb, Croatia
  • 2005. ‘ART forum Zadar’, Gallery of the State Archives, Zadar, Croatia
  • 2004. ‘Passion Heritage’, Zagreb

Workshops and symposium:

  • 2022.
  • Dubrava Art Colony 2022, as part of the Artupuncture in Dubrava event, Kontrast Gallery, Zagreb
  • 2021. Green bridge, Ribnica, Slovenia
  • 2013. guest lecturer at “Art, Nature and Sports” and participant in a group exhibition at the Moscow Academy of Arts on the occasion of the Olympics in Moscow, Russia
  • 2010. – a series of workshops “Kleine Mahlerei” with children throughout Croatia, on the topic of Gustav Mahelr; in collaboration with the Austrian Cultural Forum
  • 2010. – “International Art Camp, Cappadocia, Turkey
  • 2009. – Symposium of the Academy of Arts and the Academy of Sciences in Moscow, lecture “Art, Nature and Sports”, Lyceum of the Moscow Academy of Arts, Moscow, Russia
  • 2009. – Slovenia Open to Art, Second Nature, Sinji vrh, Slovenia
  • 2009. – “Painting, Hermetic Icon of the New Age”, “Arrival in Heritage”, Zadar, Croatia
  • 2008. – ‘As tide’, ‘‘ Heimat ’’, Pistoletto Foundation, Graz, Austria2008. – “Island as Utopia”, “Arrival in Heritage”, Zadar, Croatia
  • 2005. – art colony “Colors of the King”, Velebit, Croatia
  • 2005. – art colony “CreArt”, Lisca, Slovenia
  • 2004. – art colony “Island”, Solta, Croatia

Representation in the permanent premises of museums, modern galleries and public collections in the country and abroad:

  • Collection of the University of Zadar; Croatia
  • Collection “Mother” of the Franciscan Monastery, Humac, Bosnia and Hercegovina
  • Collection of the Academy of Fine Arts in Moscow, Russia
  • Collection of the parish manor in Vugrovec, Sesvete, Croatia
  • Collection of the Cultural Center Dubrava, Zagreb, Croatia

Welcome to the website filled with colour, energy and nature.

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