Stanek was born in Prague Czechoslovakia in 1954. He grew up in a very artistic family where he learned the rudiments of painting, ceramics, woodcarving, jewelry, metalworking, sculpting and fashion design. Stanek completed his apprenticeship in blacksmithing with an ornamental metal designer in 1983 and then began restoring historical pieces. He then was told by the communist government that he could not continue to work as an independent artist. He and his wife then decided to risk everything and escaped to the USA. Knowing only 3 words of English, he was able to start a new life here in NH, and very soon started his own independent business, Stanek Design, which he owns till this day. His approach to work has always been simple for him, “I have an idea, I draw it up and go and make it, I am never afraid to try something new and to do it differently”. His ideas come from nature, history, and above all, his own creative spark. For example, a friend asked him to build a handrail for his garden steps to help his elderly mother. The friend enjoys diving, and asked Stanek to create for him an eel, which he was able to sketch out and create out of copper, bronze and iron. Stanek lives in Hampton Falls NH, with his wife. He and his son Michal enjoy collaborative projects with metal and his sons hand blown glass. His hobbies include bicycling, kayaking, cooking and reading. He currently is building a home in Rye, NH. Stanek Design’s projects are each portraits in of themselves that reflect the unique needs, dreams and personality of each client. This powerful level of personalization is the result of Stanek’s ability to draw deep inspiration from the person for whom a work is being made. Using his extensive skills, he transforms an idea into a beautiful reality. To see some of his masterful projects, be sure to check out his web site. Stanek was involved last winter with 3S, a Portsmouth based art association, creating Flavor: A collaborative art installation. His work is currently on display at Portsmouth Scuba and The Wellington Room Restaurant.