In a world where it feels like negativity and bad news dominate the headlines, it's always a breath of fresh air to come across something positive. That's where Czech artist Martin Smatana comes in. With his uplifting illustrations and heartwarming stories, he's spreading a little bit of joy and hope in a world that can sometimes feel dark and daunting.
As a director of animated films and an illustrator, Martin has a unique perspective on the world. Every week, he picks one good news story from the newspaper and creates an illustration to go with it. But what's truly remarkable about his work is the materials he uses to create it. Rather than using new, fresh materials, Martin recycles and upcycles old secondhand clothes and discarded textiles. Each illustration is a testament to the power of creativity and the potential of seemingly worthless items.
Martin's book, "A Year of Good News", showcases 52 illustrated good news stories from around the world. From small acts of kindness to major scientific breakthroughs, each story is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope. Through his illustrations, Martin hopes to inspire others to believe that even the smallest, most inconspicuous gestures can make our world a better place.
When the 11-day war between Israel and Palestine ended, an Israeli kindergarten teacher donated a kidney to a three-year-old boy from Palestine
When students in Bristol learned that their school’s caretaker hadn’t visited his relatives in his native Jamaica for four years, they collected money for his air ticket.
A father who wanted to spend Christmas with his daughter bought tickets for all six flights she worked as a flight attendant so they could be together on the 24th and 25th of December while flying around the country.
The director of a zoo in New South Wales, Australia, brought home several red pandas, saving them from a blazing bushfire.
After war broke out in Ukraine, José Andrés, a famous Spanish chef, traveled to the Polish-Ukrainian border. With his team, he prepared thousands of meals a day for refugees, supported by local chefs, restaurants, food producers, and suppliers.
After war broke out in Ukraine, José Andrés, a famous Spanish chef, traveled to the Polish-Ukrainian border. With his team, he prepared thousands of meals a day for refugees, supported by local chefs, restaurants, food producers, and suppliers.
A hiker who was injured while climbing in Croatia’s mountains was saved from freezing to death by his dog. An Alaskan Malamute dog named North lay on top of him, keeping him warm for 13 hours until they were reached by rescuers.
As flights from Italy were canceled due to the pandemic, a ten-year-old boy decided to walk with his father to visit his grandma in London. After 93 days, 2.800 kilometers, and two weeks in quarantine, they made it to Trafalgar Square so the boy could finally give hug to his grandma.
A Finnish woman has been cleaning the grimy homes of strangers for free. Auri Kananen (aka Queen of Cleaning) has focused on people who are unable to look after their own homes because they have found themselves in difficult situations or suffer from mental health problems.
When the war in Ukraine broke out, twelve-year-old Gabriel Clarkie from England decided to help children caught up in the conflict by making a wooden bowl. His Bowl for Ukraine went viral, raising a quarter of a million pounds sterling, which he sent to the war-torn country.
Valentina and Leonid Stoyanov, a veterinarian couple from Odesa, turned their house into a shelter for abandoned animals from Ukrainian towns affected by war.
Australian firefighters dropped tons of fruit and vegetables from helicopters to feed starving animals whose habitats have been burned in the bushfires. Australian rescue centers have helped kangaroos, camels, horses and alpacas to survive.
Australian firefighters dropped tons of fruit and vegetables from helicopters to feed starving animals whose habitats have been burned in the bushfires. Australian rescue centers have helped kangaroos, camels, horses and alpacas to survive.
Italian street artist CIBO has been fighting hatred in the public space by covering neo-Nazi graffiti with colorful murals depicting all kinds of foods.
A Japanese grandma, Masako Wakamiya, couldn’t find a game app for elderly people on her smartphone. At the age of 81, she took up a course in programming. After three years of studying, she designed a mobile game app, “Hinadan,” inspired by traditional puppet theatre. The game has since been downloaded by tens of thousands of users around the world. Today, at the age of 85, she is one of the oldest app developers in the world. She encourages other seniors to use digital technology to enrich their lives.
An old man in Australia knitted woolen jumpers for penguins threatened by an oil leak to stop them from swallowing the toxic oil while cleaning themselves.
After a year of remote learning and socially distanced classrooms, one school in Spain decided to adapt to a new way of teaching and moved lessons to the beach. The children were socially distanced in the fresh air and the teachers could give object lessons in biology and geography near the sea islands
When the border between Český Těšín and the neighboring Polish city of Cieszyn was closed during the pandemic, residents of the two cities exchanged messages across the river to tell their neighbors how much they missed them.
For the second time in history, the International Refugee Olympic Team was competing in the Olympic Games. 29 professional athletes forced to leave their homes by war or oppression competed in Tokyo together under a joint flag. They act as a symbol of hope for refugees worldwide and bring global attention to the magnitude of the refugee crisis.
A dog named Patron helped Ukrainian emergency services find 200 unexploded bombs. President Zelenskyy awarded Patron the Order of Courage.
Female Afghan scientists who were forced to leave Kabul showed their robotic inventions at the World Forum in Doha. They have been taking part in science competitions around the world to help young Afghan women develop their engineering, science and technology skills.
Two-year-old Barrett from Texas accidentally ordered 31 cheeseburgers while playing with his mother’s mobile phone. Since the order couldn’t be canceled, she threw a cheeseburger feast for people in the neighborhood
A 22-year-old student with disabilities dreamed of climbing Mount Olympus. Her dream came true when an endurance runner Marios Giannakou carried her to Greece‘s highest peak in a specially modified backpack.
Holland's cultural institutions turned into non-lockdown businesses to protest Covid restrictions. For a day, Van Gogh Museum became a nail salon, Mauritshuis museum turned into a gym, and concert halls into hair salons.
A Danish company has invented pencils that can be planted after use so that they grow into a herb, a shrub, or a tree.
As a director of animated films and an illustrator, Martin has a unique perspective on the world. Every week, he picks one good news story from the newspaper and creates an illustration to go with it. But what's truly remarkable about his work is the materials he uses to create it. Rather than using new, fresh materials, Martin recycles and upcycles old secondhand clothes and discarded textiles. Each illustration is a testament to the power of creativity and the potential of seemingly worthless items.
Martin's book, "A Year of Good News", showcases 52 illustrated good news stories from around the world. From small acts of kindness to major scientific breakthroughs, each story is a reminder that even in the darkest of times, there is always hope. Through his illustrations, Martin hopes to inspire others to believe that even the smallest, most inconspicuous gestures can make our world a better place.
Source: Martin Smatana
#1.
When the 11-day war between Israel and Palestine ended, an Israeli kindergarten teacher donated a kidney to a three-year-old boy from PalestineSource: Martin Smatana
#2.
When students in Bristol learned that their school’s caretaker hadn’t visited his relatives in his native Jamaica for four years, they collected money for his air ticket.Source: Martin Smatana
#3.
A father who wanted to spend Christmas with his daughter bought tickets for all six flights she worked as a flight attendant so they could be together on the 24th and 25th of December while flying around the country.Source: Martin Smatana
#4.
The director of a zoo in New South Wales, Australia, brought home several red pandas, saving them from a blazing bushfire.Source: Martin Smatana
#5.
After war broke out in Ukraine, José Andrés, a famous Spanish chef, traveled to the Polish-Ukrainian border. With his team, he prepared thousands of meals a day for refugees, supported by local chefs, restaurants, food producers, and suppliers.Source: Martin Smatana
#6.
After war broke out in Ukraine, José Andrés, a famous Spanish chef, traveled to the Polish-Ukrainian border. With his team, he prepared thousands of meals a day for refugees, supported by local chefs, restaurants, food producers, and suppliers.Source: Martin Smatana
#7.
A hiker who was injured while climbing in Croatia’s mountains was saved from freezing to death by his dog. An Alaskan Malamute dog named North lay on top of him, keeping him warm for 13 hours until they were reached by rescuers.Source: Martin Smatana
#8.
As flights from Italy were canceled due to the pandemic, a ten-year-old boy decided to walk with his father to visit his grandma in London. After 93 days, 2.800 kilometers, and two weeks in quarantine, they made it to Trafalgar Square so the boy could finally give hug to his grandma.Source: Martin Smatana
#9.
A Finnish woman has been cleaning the grimy homes of strangers for free. Auri Kananen (aka Queen of Cleaning) has focused on people who are unable to look after their own homes because they have found themselves in difficult situations or suffer from mental health problems.Source: Martin Smatana
#10.
When the war in Ukraine broke out, twelve-year-old Gabriel Clarkie from England decided to help children caught up in the conflict by making a wooden bowl. His Bowl for Ukraine went viral, raising a quarter of a million pounds sterling, which he sent to the war-torn country.Source: Martin Smatana
#11.
Valentina and Leonid Stoyanov, a veterinarian couple from Odesa, turned their house into a shelter for abandoned animals from Ukrainian towns affected by war.Source: Martin Smatana
#12.
Australian firefighters dropped tons of fruit and vegetables from helicopters to feed starving animals whose habitats have been burned in the bushfires. Australian rescue centers have helped kangaroos, camels, horses and alpacas to survive.Source: Martin Smatana
#13.
Australian firefighters dropped tons of fruit and vegetables from helicopters to feed starving animals whose habitats have been burned in the bushfires. Australian rescue centers have helped kangaroos, camels, horses and alpacas to survive.Source: Martin Smatana
#14.
Italian street artist CIBO has been fighting hatred in the public space by covering neo-Nazi graffiti with colorful murals depicting all kinds of foods.Source: Martin Smatana
#15.
A Japanese grandma, Masako Wakamiya, couldn’t find a game app for elderly people on her smartphone. At the age of 81, she took up a course in programming. After three years of studying, she designed a mobile game app, “Hinadan,” inspired by traditional puppet theatre. The game has since been downloaded by tens of thousands of users around the world. Today, at the age of 85, she is one of the oldest app developers in the world. She encourages other seniors to use digital technology to enrich their lives.Source: Martin Smatana
#16.
An old man in Australia knitted woolen jumpers for penguins threatened by an oil leak to stop them from swallowing the toxic oil while cleaning themselves.Source: Martin Smatana
#17.
After a year of remote learning and socially distanced classrooms, one school in Spain decided to adapt to a new way of teaching and moved lessons to the beach. The children were socially distanced in the fresh air and the teachers could give object lessons in biology and geography near the sea islandsSource: Martin Smatana
#18.
When the border between Český Těšín and the neighboring Polish city of Cieszyn was closed during the pandemic, residents of the two cities exchanged messages across the river to tell their neighbors how much they missed them.Source: Martin Smatana
#19.
For the second time in history, the International Refugee Olympic Team was competing in the Olympic Games. 29 professional athletes forced to leave their homes by war or oppression competed in Tokyo together under a joint flag. They act as a symbol of hope for refugees worldwide and bring global attention to the magnitude of the refugee crisis.Source: Martin Smatana
#20.
A dog named Patron helped Ukrainian emergency services find 200 unexploded bombs. President Zelenskyy awarded Patron the Order of Courage.Source: Martin Smatana
#21.
Female Afghan scientists who were forced to leave Kabul showed their robotic inventions at the World Forum in Doha. They have been taking part in science competitions around the world to help young Afghan women develop their engineering, science and technology skills.Source: Martin Smatana
#22.
Two-year-old Barrett from Texas accidentally ordered 31 cheeseburgers while playing with his mother’s mobile phone. Since the order couldn’t be canceled, she threw a cheeseburger feast for people in the neighborhoodSource: Martin Smatana
#23.
A 22-year-old student with disabilities dreamed of climbing Mount Olympus. Her dream came true when an endurance runner Marios Giannakou carried her to Greece‘s highest peak in a specially modified backpack.Source: Martin Smatana
#24.
Holland's cultural institutions turned into non-lockdown businesses to protest Covid restrictions. For a day, Van Gogh Museum became a nail salon, Mauritshuis museum turned into a gym, and concert halls into hair salons.Source: Martin Smatana
#25.
A Danish company has invented pencils that can be planted after use so that they grow into a herb, a shrub, or a tree.Source: Martin Smatana
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