Artists We Love: Grace de Kroon

INTERVIEWED BY Michaela Stehr IMAGES courtesy of Grace de Kroon

Cape Town-based illustrator, artist and vintage market stall owner Grace de Kroon chats to VISI about the importance of colour, her inspirations and advice for illustrators starting out.

How did you get into illustration?

I’ve been pretty creative my whole life and have always loved to draw, but it was a few years ago that I really got into it. I had been colouring in a lot of colouring books and after a while I thought to myself, “I want to colour in my own drawings now”. It became a therapy to me and I literally couldn’t go a day without drawing something.

Dogs in Charge

You use a lot of vibrant colours. What is the importance of colour in your work?

For me, colour is happiness. Colour does such a specific thing to my endorphins. Looking at bright, colourful things genuinely makes me happy. In a world where so many people want to be neutral and subdued, I want to be bold and silly.

How do you decide what you feel like drawing?

Most of my drawings are of tropical plants, interiors or fantasy scenes. I have a passion for interiors and actually studied interior design, but my ideas always seemed too kitsch and ridiculous for the commercial world. I wanted to document and make these ideas a reality in my drawings. My botanicals are definitely inspired by my mom, who was a textile designer. She always wore stunningly bright, tropical clothing.

Do you have a favourite piece?

At the moment, it’s I’ve gotten much better.

I’ve Gotten Much Better

Where can people get hold of your work?

Instagram is where I share all of my work. People usually contact me there or via email. I’m always open to commissions – drawing things for people is one of my favourite things to do. I recently put together a catalogue of work for a client to choose from, so I am thinking of starting a mailer so people can view my works for sale monthly. I’d love to work towards an exhibition somewhere, but we will have to see what’s on the cards.

Take Me There

Any tips for illustrators starting out?

My most important piece of advice would be to always stay true to your sense of style and draw the content you want to instead of what you think people might like. Other than that, practice, practice, practice. Push yourself to learn new things, experiment with different media, and don’t ever stop engaging with different ways of thinking – that’s where beautiful things are born.

Grace is open for commissions and you can buy her work via email or through Instagram.