August 17, 2012

illustrator caitlin shearer






The world of Caitlin Shearer is heavily informed by the 1950s. She celebrates its beauty and kitsch in her watercolours and illustrations, as well as textile design. She has worked for clients such as Frankie and Oyster. From September 9 she will be exhibiting at Terrarium Gallery in Wollongong.

Which five words best describe you? Driven, quiet, old-fashioned, curly, Nigella-Lawson-wannabe.
How did you get your career start and what path have you taken since? I feel my career has been a succession of small achievements which I'm building upon every year. Whilst still in high school I started trying to work as an illustrator by collaborating with small publications that I'd come across on the internet. As my skills improved and my aesthetic became more concrete I was provided with bigger and better opportunities and that has seemed to snowball. At the moment I'm still working to continuously evolve my style and perfect my drawing skills, as well as taking my art into different arenas such as textile design.
What’s the best lesson you’ve learnt along the way? Use your heart when creating and try to cultivate a unique aesthetic which you can call your own.
What’s your proudest career achievement? Working on my own range of fabric designs and making garments from them during these past few months has been pretty incredible.
What’s been your best decision? To drop out of art school and pursue my dreams. (Stubborn since birth.)
What are you passionate about? Vintage clothing, my family, the golden age of Hollywood, dinner parties, sunsets.
Which person, living or dead, would you most like to meet? Kate Bush! The most daring and influential woman to make music in years.
What dream do you still want to fulfil? I'd like to publish some picture books - some for children, some for adults - and set up my own fashion label.
What are you reading? Delta of Venus by Anais Nin

images courtesy of caitlin shearer; portrait kelsey ganna