top of page

Meet the Artist - Belette Le Pink


Meet the Artist. The place where I introduce YOU to an artist through a virtual interview. Our featured artist is Belette Le Pink. *Note The images in this post link to Belette's product shops.




 

Belette Le Pink

Madrid, Spain



  • Who are you, and what is your background?

Hi, this is Leticia, the person behind Belette Le Pink. Based in Madrid, Spain, I´m 43.

I come from a humble family with no relation to the arts or cultural aspirations, but from them, I learned to face life´s adversities through hard work and I don´t give up.


I studied Art and Illustration in Art School, but I am mostly a self-taught artist inspired by wildlife and daily life.



I started doodling when I was 4, just before I started writing. I used to copy cartoons I watched on TV (Hanna Barbera, Anime, Disney…) because I will always be fascinated by animation.


Because I grew up in a small city, my contact with nature was truly wildlife documentaries and the small parks and forests on the edge of town. For some reason, I have always felt connected with animals since my childhood, and I enjoyed illustrating hunting scenes of eagles, wolves, and lions… and reading Jack London´s novels. I wrote some books I illustrated by myself about doggy adventures and this kind. I was a lucky girl living in the wonderful '80s, a really creative and positive era.


My dream was to be a wildlife filmmaker and visit faraway places with my camera and sketchbook, or a Disney animator, creating wonderful characters more than a famous “artist”.

It is because of this I planned to study Biology until my 14th birthday when a neighbor of mine, who had been a painter in her youth, gave me an oil painting set and I started to paint more seriously.



I was inspired by the art of the Dutch artist Rien Poorvliet, famous for his illustrated books on wildlife and the Gnomes. I also liked classics Dutch like Vermeer (I love the wet on wet oil painting) Goya, Renoir, Pre-Raphaelites, Klimt, and avant-garde artists like Franz Marc,

Chagall, and whatever artist or illustrator, good or bad has a personal identity.


I started my illustration studies preparing to become a cartoonist or animator, and in the 90s, many animation studios were available in Spain. Still, due to personal circumstances, I needed a regular job, and I had to pause my artistic career for many years, leaving the art apart for free time and occasional commissions.

Meanwhile, I participated in many Local and National Exhibitions, Shows, interviews, and contests.

I have never been a portraits-or-painting artist only because I love to catch the movement, and maybe it is because of this that my sketches are always unfinished, leaving the imagination close to the lines. I identify more with audiovisual media. I have also studied music for many years, and music broadened my understanding of life, feelings, and the arts.

In 2010 I resumed my artistic studies learning Graphic Design, Advertising, and audiovisuals (examples).

And it was in 2017 when I decided to leave my regular job to try an artist career again, and this is how Belette was born.


  • What is your favorite medium?

Although I now use mainly digital painting, my favorite mediums are wet-on-wet oil painting and crayons, collage, and mixed media. I love the fresh watercolor style, ink sketches, and all the techniques with the expontaneous look.

I intend to introduce the traditional art concept and effects into my digital art to make it warmer and more organic.



Otters of the World pattern in grey Framed Mini Art Print




  • Has your practice changed over time?

This question is related to what we have talked about previously. I started drawing with what I had available: crayons, markers, gouaches, pens, and colored pencils when I was a child, and with watercolors, inks, and oils as a teenager.

In the early 2000s, I discovered the art of Annette Messager and her installations, and I was fascinated by exhibition art and the tridimensional possibilities. I realized that two dimensions were not enough for me. In addition, I discovered digital art possibilities and learned to use motion graphic tools and animation. I don´t believe the different types of art compete; they are complementary, and each medium has a kind of magic, utility, and expression. It's experimenting with them; our creativity does the rest.


  • What do you most enjoy painting?

Well, this is obvious (laughs) animals and wildlife.









  • What is the strongest memory of your childhood?

I have many childhood memories, but they all seem so far away, as if they weren't mine. Nothing in particular, but maybe one of them was my tonsil operation when I was 3-4 years old. I remember everything went dark, and then I was eating ice cream.



Visit RedBubble and check this as a sticker!


  • What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

Like many of us, I have had many jobs not related to art. I have been a shopping assistant in a printer shop, a food store, and a store restocker. I also worked as a manufacturer in factories and warehouses. I was mostly a telephone assistant in a call center in many areas like the help desk or searching for people with debts. I learned so much about people and met many different people from different nationalities there. I made many friends, no matter the kind of job, many of whom have had similar situations in life or worse. No matter what you studied or what you wanted to be, we all are in the same boat.


  • What has been your favorite response to your work?

I am most pleased when someone tells me that they feel motivated to create art, and my art, my animals, or my words inspire them.



DESIGNBYHÜMANS Steal Your Heart Mon Amour


  • Professionally, what is your goal? What´s your best advice for someone wanting to start as an artist?

I would like my illustration art to somehow impact people's consciousness and spread the love for animals, wildlife, nature, and the environment. Humans are part of nature, too, even when it seems we refuse to accept that we are just one more species on this planet. I am so happy when somebody writes a comment about how they enjoy discovering new animals and being able to contribute in some way to reflect on respect for nature, the environment, and humanity itself through my small actions. Small steps matter; baby steps are the beginning of big changes. I know it's a very hackneyed saying, but it works: I am a small artist now and willing to walk the needed. This is my recommendation for those who want to be an artist or whatever they want: success is never guaranteed, but I believe it is better to accept the frustration of not being a big artist or having too high expectations than to regret not having even tried. Just do it; only time will tell.



Click for a link an acrylic tray | Society6



Paradise before the fire (SGHN) Sticker | Society6






























The Hunter - poster on Displate


 

Thank you so much, Belette!


Readers, you can find Belette at lots of shops, and you can check them from this site:


Be sure to check the Print-on-Demand sites for many products with Belette's wonderful designs: Society6 or Redbubble or Zazzle (select your language).


Social Media:




While you're shopping, why not buy Belette a cup of coffee? Click the icon here: ⬇️














 

Visit all the MEET THE ARTIST posts



Pin it, Please! Comment below this post.







Meet the Artist - David Zydd



Meet the Artist. The place where I introduce YOU to an artist through a virtual interview. Our featured artist is David Zydd. *Note: The images in this post link to David's product shops.





 

David Zydd

Budapest, Hungary




abstract landscapes

  • Who are you, and what is your background?

Hi, my artist's name is David Zydd. I've never wanted to be an artist; the whole thing came by accident.


My story began at elementary school. Maybe my drawing skills were a little bit above average. But then we had to paint out our drawings, so my work became below average. In high school, I made a few pretty good drawings when I was sitting in brutally boring Literature or Mathematics classes. (When I hadn't fallen asleep.) I had Literature problems while reading many books and I've also tried writing. I also had problems with Mathematics, where I almost always wrote down the correct results, but I didn't know (and I was not interested in) how to calculate them.


Nonetheless, I got into college and graduated as an architect. That's why I hated drawing for the next 10-15 years. I've even boycotted my graduation ceremony: the school was very difficult, however, we didn't learn anything useful about our profession.

My story continues one decade later. I've worked for 10 years in the building industry. When my last employer didn't pay my salary for almost one year (This was very common in the building industry in Hungary at that time.),


I started to think about building another source of income. I wrote blogs, I tried Google Adsense, affiliate marketing, and numerous micro-revenue sites. I also tried 3D modeling. Then - accidentally - I've met with vector graphics. It was in the fall of 2013. I immediately started to create vector images, and a few months later, I started selling vector images on Shutterstock (right after my honeymoon). I had engineering and programming jobs at that time. I also joined the Mensa organization in Hungary and included it in my CV to get the positions.


I've experimented with many styles, some of which looked artsy. So, I finally joined Society6 at the end of 2014. Two months later, I finished my last job as an employee and became an entrepreneur. In the last months of my employment, I spent more time with my business than the company. I have no remorse because the company worked for financial institutions. :)



Very First Works

Meanwhile, I played beach volleyball at the semi-pro level. My best results in the Hungarian Championship were 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th places. I played in the championship in 4 different decades. When I was very good, there were 1 or 2 much better players. When the competitors were a little weaker, I was also weaker. :)



  • What is your favorite medium?

I only use SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) vector graphics. It's more like programming than drawing. I type in words and numbers, and then nice, colorful graphics appear on the screen. After a few attempts, I added a very unusual twist: I used a PHP programming language to write SVG files. This way, I can add much randomness to my artwork. Any other programming language would be suitable to accomplish this. It must be capable of writing text files. I chose PHP only because it was pretty simple to install in a comfortable environment. So, I write a little (sometimes simple, sometimes complicated) algorithm, then I run it several times. When I like the result, I keep the image.


curved abstracts


  • Has your practice changed over time?

Currently, I use the 8th generation of the methods to create my vector images. The 1st was to write the SVG file directly. In the 8th generation, I wrote the software (it runs in the browser) for myself. I can easily connect existing algorithms; then, I change a few parameters, and the results are very different. Usually, there is minimal programming in the process. This program is primarily for stock graphics, but my newest artistic works were also created this way.


The program copies and moves the files, making the needed conversions (.EPS, AI, JPG) almost automatically. Then I click and type for a few minutes, and the software creates titles, descriptions, and 40-50 keywords for dozens of images.


I can create even 500+ brand new images with titles, descriptions, and keywords in one day. However, I make it very occasionally. I spend less than 5% of my work time creating, and more than 95% goes to uploading, marketing, and other boring tasks. Since the birth of my second daughter, I have very little time. The lockdown even halved this...



mandalas


  • What do you most enjoy painting?


David Zydd logo

I love to do experiments with geometric shapes and colors. My artist logo represents this.
















 


normal artworks

Sometimes, I dare to try "normal" artwork when I create images without randomness, but I do this only occasionally. For example, I created minimalist line art for my daughters last year.



  • What jobs have you done other than being an artist?

I was an architect, facility management expert, virtual constructor, and GDL (Geometric Description Language) programmer. The latest gave me the idea of the whole vector programming thing.


Then, I worked as an engineer and as a SQL database programmer. During college, I was a waiter, callboy, etc... for short times.


  • What food, drink, or song inspires you?

I've never thought about drinks or foods as inspirations. :)


My favorite drink in the colder half of the year is red wine; in the hotter half, it's beer. (Except Heineken-owned brands, for political reasons...) My favorite food is ribs and fatty meats.


My favorite music styles are power metal and folk metal. These are sometimes very inspiring music, but there is no way to connect this inspiration to my artworks. :)


  • What has been your favorite response to your work?

When my family members like my artwork, I hope I can differentiate between politeness and real enthusiasm. :)


Of course, everyone's mom will love her son's/daughter's work.


abstract artworks


  • Professionally, what is your goal?

My income is around 80% from stock vector graphics and 20% from artwork. My goal is to reverse this proportion in favor of art. And I'd like to spend more time with creation and experimentation.


I can make hundreds of artworks in a few hours. But I have no idea which is the best of them. I'm very bad at choosing the good ones. So, I'm open to collaborations with anybody who would like to browse and sell my artwork with a 50%-50% revenue share.

I can provide hundreds of - even unique - images for this collaboration.



flower mandalas


 

Thank you so much, David. My readers are grateful that you shared your vector graphics with all of us. Colorful, symmetrical, spiraling visions to dazzle the eye.


Readers, be sure to visit all of David Zydd's sites:


Society6: Mandala Magic by David Zydd https://society6.com/davidzydd

Contact: davidzydd@gmail.com




Visit all the MEET THE ARTIST posts.



Please, Pin it! Comment below this post.








by Sean Adams | Peter Dawson | John Foster | Tony Seddon Paperback, Illustrated




Meet the Artist - CatCoq


Meet the Artist. The place where I introduce YOU to an artist through a "virtual" interview. Our featured artist is Cat Coquillette, an artist extraordinaire.

Let's begin.


 

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and you purchase an item from this blog, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.


 



Cat Coquillette

"Digital Nomad"


person artist illustrator teacher
Cat Coquillette - Artist, Illustrator, Entrepreneur

  • Who are you and what is your background?

Hey there! My name is Cat Coquillette and I’m an artist, entrepreneur, educator, and the founder of CatCoq, which is my art and education brand. I started my career in the design agency world and now, I’m working for myself as a commercial artist and educator.


After years of building up my side-hustle, I finally made the leap into entrepreneurship in 2016. In the years since then, I’ve grown my company as I travel the world full-time as a “digital nomad”. My office changes daily, but it’s usually in a coffee shop, co-working space, or Airbnb somewhere in the world.

My brand is split between art licensing and education. I teach others how to do exactly what I’m doing on a day-to-day basis: earn an income through art licensing, grow their brand using social media marketing, paint with watercolors and acrylics, edit artwork digitally, create patterns for surface design, and more. My classes teach a mix of creative and business skills.

My artwork and designs can be found worldwide in stores including Urban Outfitters, Target, Barnes & Noble, Modcloth, Nordstrom, Bed Bath & Beyond, and more. I’m a keynote speaker for entrepreneur and design conferences around the world and my writing, interviews, and design work have been featured by Forbes, CNN, US Weekly, Teen Vogue, Buzzfeed, and The New York Post.



  • What is your favorite medium?


I tend to rotate my artwork between about five or six different mediums. My two favorites at the moment are painting by hand with watercolors and drawing digital illustrations using the iPad app, Procreate.







Cat Coquillette's style evolution

  • Has your practice changed over time?


When I first began seeing success as an artist, I was painting a lot of botanical watercolors and brush-lettered words of wisdom surrounded by floral wreaths. That style worked very well for me back in my early days– 2014.

Since then, my style has adapted along with market trends. I still incorporate typography and florals, but my illustration style has evolved. I like retro-inspired fonts or blocky hand-lettering with bold color palettes and cheeky quotes.

I’ve also expanded my motifs. When I was getting started, I preferred to paint non-cuddly creatures: cicadas, beetles, snakes, crabs, moths, and the likes. I steered away from anything with a face because I wasn’t confident enough to attempt facial features. Now, I’ve leaned into my own personal style and embraced painting mammals like pandas, bunnies, squirrels, foxes, otters, and other animals that I love. Bring on the cute eyes and button noses!




  • What do you most enjoy painting?

For me, painting is an indulgent activity, like relaxing in a bubble bath or curling up on the couch with a good book. When I get out my watercolors and set out a blank piece of paper, I’m entering self-care mode.



  • What is the strongest memory of your childhood?


I remembered the exhilaration I felt when I tore away the wrapping paper of a Christmas present to unveil an art easel, which came with a huge pack of assorted markers.

The markers were scented according to their color, so they smelled like blueberry, mint, black licorice, buttercream, etc. After my parents helped me set up the easel with an oversize notepad of blank paper, I got started drawing.

Instead of choosing my colors based on accuracy, like the sun is yellow and the grass is green, I picked colors based on what smelled good together. This resulted in color combinations like chocolate and cherry with a dash of banana for a drawing of an elephant, instead of a standard grey that I probably otherwise would have chosen.

Ultimately, it was a means for me to break away from preconceived notions of color choices and explore something entirely different.




  • What jobs have you done other than being an artist?


watercolor design tech laptop skin society6 catcoq catquillette
Watercolor Burst - society6 laptop skin

My first job was at a paint-on-pottery studio when I was sixteen. I was a pretty terrible employee– I spent most of my time painting on the ceramics products I was supposed to be selling, so after a few months, I was canned.

The experience taught me that having a passion for my career is important, but so is being a good businesswoman. I could spend all day, every day painting, but that wouldn’t pay my salary unless I have a solid strategy for monetizing and growing.

The reason my business is successful is that I’ve found a way to blend both together.



  • What food, drink, or song inspires you?


I went through a phase of painting my favorite foods and sweets. It was a fun project and resulted in a few collections that landed my work in Target, Barnes & Nobel, HomeGoods, and a few more.



  • What has been your favorite response to your work?


Cat Coquillette - classes on Skillshare.com

It’s always a compliment to see my artwork hanging in someone’s home, but teaching is what gives me a deep sense of purpose. My personal fulfillment comes from hearing from my students and reading the reviews they leave on my online classes.


When someone reaches out to tell me that I’ve helped them gain confidence in their artwork, or overcome a creative or entrepreneurial challenge, I feel like I’ve actually made a difference in someone’s life. This is the ultimate compliment I could ever receive and it’s what drives me to continue pursuing education.


All of my classes are online, which means I don’t have one-on-one time with any of my students while I’m teaching. Instead, I’m talking to a camera, which means I lose out on the intimacy and connection you get when conversing with someone face-to-face. So ultimately, when I hear from my students or read their class reviews. I feel a sense of connection. I enjoy painting and will always be creating artwork, but teaching is my purpose and my future.



  • Professionally, what is your goal?

Global art domination.


But more realistically, I’d like to be able to regularly purchase first-class tickets for my family to visit me, wherever I am in the world. That’s my next financial milestone for my business. Not only does it mean more comfortable travel for my parents, but it also signifies that my company is doing exceptionally well.


More milestones I’d like to reach within the next few years:


1. I’m currently writing my first book and would love to get it published.


2. Teaching is a passion of mine and I’d like to grow my online classes. At this very moment, I’ve just launched my eighteenth Skillshare class and am hoping to hit 20 by the summer.

3. I’d love to design special-edition packaging for a cosmetic or skincare line. Because of my background in branding, I’m a sucker for well-designed packaging. Even though my daily face routine is usually just moisturizer and mascara, I collect cosmetics that I rarely use just because I adore the packaging.

4. I want to get involved with more cause-related partners. More specifically, I’d like to focus on foundations that help animals, children, women, or aspiring entrepreneurs.





  • What is your best piece of advice for someone who wants to get started as an artist?


Stop procrastinating and put yourself out there! I’ve met so many creatives who aspire to support themselves through their artwork but are terrified of failure, so they don’t take the first step. Everyone starts somewhere.

Also, explore various avenues and find what works best for you. One person’s success won’t be the answer for everyone. Once you find your jam and hit your stride, capitalize on that momentum and hustle hard.



 

Thank you so much, Cat. My readers are grateful that you took time out of your busy schedule to share your art, your talent, and your myriad of amazing adventures from which you find your inspiration.



Readers, be sure to check Cat's website: Catcoq.com

Check her blog: Cat's blog

Society6: Catcoq

Redbubble: Cat Coquillette

Zazzle: Catcoq Gifts

Instagram: Catcoq


Visit all the MEET THE ARTIST posts


Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive earnings at no extra cost.





Pin it, please.


Meet the Artist - Catcoq Cat Coquillette pictures of art bamboo fronds anniemasonart.com







bottom of page