A graduate of the Václav Hollar School of Art, he spent the totalitarian years existing outside of official cultural circles. His primary focus was on drawings, and he worked as a graphic artist. After 1989, he designed numerous series of illustrations for a classical music publisher, and won numerous awards for his book and poster work.

In the 1980s and ’90s, Pešta began applying his poster design techniques – which had always balanced on the boundary to painting – to non-commissioned work. Since the very beginning, he has been working to further develop his artistic style.