Domestika Talks: Catalina Estrada

During last year’s Domestika Cup the Colombian illustrator encouraged us to lose the fear of color

Catalina Estrada, the Colombian illustrator based in Barcelona, is an unconditional lover of nature, passionate about colors, fascinated by textures, detail, shapes, and beauty.
Her work, charged with a thousand colors, optimism, and Latino blood, crosses borders.

In this talk, the illustrator shares with the audience of the Domestika Cup Colombia her obsession with colors and the importance of her country’s folklore in her work.
Watch the video below:

Estrada begins her talk by confessing that despite trying, she could not become a minimalist. She is too enamored with prints and colors. The illustrator grew up in a bright house in the middle of the forest, and this taught her not to be afraid of colors. From her mother, with whom she lived for many years in this house, she learned the importance of developing her style, ignoring what other people say, and to always be true to herself.

Estrada however also recognizes that one day the fear of gunshots, murders, and the explosions she could hear from time to time from her house drove her to emigrate, and end up in Barcelona. There, Catalina continued to explore the nature, joy, and folklore she’d grown up with. She continued to look for a visceral beauty that, as she describes it, ‘comes from her belly’.

Catalina is one of the most distinguished illustrators of her generation. Her impressive talent has landed her jobs with Paul Smith, Coca-Cola, Microsoft, Camper, Nike, Levis, smart (Mercedes Benz) and UNICEF, as well as collaborations with the municipalities of Barcelona and London.

Today her designs can be seen on products sold around the world: wallpaper, bed linen, handbags, dresses, umbrellas, school supplies and much more.

You may be interested in:

- Domestika Talks: Marta Cerdá.
- Domestika Creatives: Lauren Tamaki.
- Malika Favre: Feminine Vector Illustrator.