He graduated from the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague, Applied Painting and G Studio of Prof. Josef Kaplický, was a designer in the Technical Artistic Centre of the national enterprise Borské sklo in Nový Bor (1958-1962).

Vratislav Šotola’s glass products formed part of prestigious collections, which represented Czechoslovakia in international exhibitions, including EXPO 1958 in Brussels and EXPO 1967 in Montreal, Glass 1959 exhibition in the American Corning Museum of Glass, where his works made in the past fifty years were included in the selection of the world production of artistic glass. His industrial designs won several prestigious design awards.