In Flow Weekly 14 (Dutch only), you’ll find a lesson in how to draw teapots from Katrin Coetzer. Here, the illustrator tells us about her life in South Africa.
“My name is Katrin. I’m an illustrator from Cape Town. I spend most of my days making pictures for various publications. Sometimes I work on picture books, brands and exhibitions, although I mostly create for editorials. Grounded in design training, I like to tailor my illustrative style to whatever brief I’m working on so I can enjoy a variety of styles, mediums and subjects. I like the formal aspect of illustration, thinking carefully about composition weight and colors.”
Curiosity
“For Flow Weekly, I used a combination of my favorite materials; gouache, water colors and ink on paper. The best thing about my work is that it goes a long way towards satisfying my curiosity about things. I want to do everything, see everything and know about everything. Being an illustrator means I can research and investigate any number of topics in my work.”
Untidy studio
“I have my own studio in the centre of Cape Town. It is untidy and filled with books, paper, paints and some plants. My name is taped on the door and you have to take a rickety elevator to reach me on the third floor. I hope to one day have a studio space as considered and warm as Maira Kalman’s.”
Privileged
“My life in South Africa is great for my demographic, although it certainly isn’t great for the majority of South Africans. I am unusually privileged to be able to want for nothing and do the work that I love in a place of unparalleled natural beauty and diversity. I am truly informed by and attached to the landscape of my home.”
