Ivana Svjetličić, a self-taught painter began her artistic journey at the end of the year 2019, following a major trauma and the passing of her father. After attending a “pencil drawing” course she realized that her true path lay in colors and began developing her own style without a mentor.
In the year 2021 she sold her first painting to a young couple in Germany and soon after she opened social media accounts to share her artwork.
With only four completed paintings, that she posted on Instagram, she was recognized and contacted by the renowned international Van Der Plas Gallery from New York. She was invited to exhibit her work in March 2022 at the group exhibition “Key of Dreams” at their Manhattan gallery.
Three months after her first exhibition, Ivana’s painting “Kolorita” was selected among the top 60 works for the annual exhibition “Wide Open 12” at BWAC Gallery, Brooklyn, New York City.
In September 2022, she exhibited her artworks as part of the “Digital Out Of Home Advertising Campaign” in collaboration with Plogix Gallery. Her art, along with that of 25 selected artists, was displayed on digital screens in shopping centers, restaurants, airports, and city squares across New York City, Miami, Los Angeles, London and Paris.
In February 2023 she exhibited two of her artworks – “Awakened” and “Mother” – at the group exhibition “Reveries” in Galeria Azur, Madrid. In September 2023 she held her solo exhibition “Shapes and Colors That Makes You Feel Better” at LittleField Gallery in Brooklyn, New York City.
Later that same month, she exhibited her artworks as the only artist featured at the event “Asa Dalmatia Drive” in collaboration with Auto Sport Adria, held at the Auto Benussi showroom.
In March 2024, she participated in the “Exclusive Art Fair” at Family Mall, where alongside her paintings, she presented her line of unique umbrellas — a collaboration with the well-known brand Hrvatski kišobran (Croatian Umbrella), featuring visuals of her original artworks.
In May 2024, she held her first solo exhibition in Croatia, titled “World of Colors” at “Imanje Marincel” in Zagreb. Later that month, she was the only artist to exhibit her paintings and art-inspired products (umbrellas, prints, 3D wood prints, furniture and unique fridge magnets) at the “Koi & Bonsai Show” in Family Mall.
Later that year, she collaborated with the acclaimed and multiple award-winning French duo Obradovic-Tixier Duo, creating an original painting for the cover of their upcoming album “Jiggled Juggler.” During the same month, she signed a contract with the prestigious New York gallery Artifact Projects for the upcoming project “Continuity: Modern and Contemporary Masters,” in which her artworks were exhibited alongside selected contemporary artists and masterpieces by some of the world’s most famous painters — Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, and Joan Miró.
The exhibition was covered by major American media, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Newsday, and The Daily News.
In June 2025, Ivana Svjetličić was contacted by Professor Eva Rajković from Primary School in Vitez, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who informed her that the school’s students had studied her life and artistic journey. Through the eTwinning project “In the World of Visual Artists” students learned about world-renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Leonardo da Vinci, Frida Kahlo, and Salvador Dalí. They chose Ivana Svjetličić as the Croatian representative, placing her among the most prominent names in the world of visual arts.
The project’s aim was to familiarize students with the lives and works of famous artists, analyze their artistic styles, and inspire their own creativity.
In August 2025, in collaboration with Rab Community College and Hotel Valamar, Ivana held her exhibition “Light in the Corners” at the Imperial Heritage Hotel Valamar Collection in the heart of the island of Rab.
Later that month, Ivana Svjetličić opened the Star Film Festival in the city of Sisak with her exhibition “The Inner Face.”
In September 2025, Ivana made a significant step forward in her career by opening her own art gallery in the heart of Zagreb, on Radićeva Street. The opening day drew a large audience, and the entire street was filled with people eager to experience and celebrate art.
