Biography
Katrin Ehrlich (1969) is an illustrator, printmaker, book designer, and graphic designer. She graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts in printmaking and studied silk printing at the Danish Design School in Copenhagen. Ehrlich has illustrated more than 40 children’s books and received numerous awards. Ornamentation is tightly bound to rich fantasy in her cheerful-toned illustrations. Her works are held in the collections of the Estonian National Library and the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, as well in private collections. Ehrlich is a member of the Estonian Graphic Designers’ Association.
Having worked as a graphic designer for close to a decade, I decided to give something else a try, and so my first picture book for little kids was born. I started to like illustration so much that for the last ten years, I have been engrossed in drawing pictures for children’s books.
A children’s book is a larger whole, in which the story and the pictures must get along well with one another. I am inspired by storytelling intertwined with fantasy. Dreams and visions that words only brush upon give me the opportunity to expand the text with pictures; to develop the story further.
Profile photo: Piia Ruber
Fables for Robots (Robotite muinasjutud / Bajki robotów)
The Jealous Cow and the Ornery Snow Drift
Old Tales about Reynard the Fox
Big Mistake
The Golden Book of Estonian Christmas Poems and Stories
The Wind Flower and the Clock-Bear
Riddle me, riddle me, Little Leenu
The Golden Book of Estonian Fairytales
Gigantic Warm Cloud Lambs
International Illustration and Book Design Competition "Image of the Book/Obraz Knigi", Moscow, diploma
Good Children's Book (Piret Päär. Estonian Fairytales)
Edgar Valter Illustration Award, nominee
2020
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Diploma of the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
2019
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Ernst Peterson-Särgava. Old Tales about Reynard the Fox)
2018
Latvian Children’s, Young Adult, and Parents’ Jury, 3rd place (5+) (Tiia Selli. Happy Miia)
2016
5 Best Designedd Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Juhani Püttsepp. The Grandma Who Turned into a Puppy)
Good Children’s Book (Heli Illipe-Sootak. A Kitty Raked the Yard)
2014
I Riga Picture Book Quadrennial “Picture Story”, The Prize of Sight, Latvia
5 Best-Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit, Special Prize of the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre (Juhani Püttsepp. Sliding Stories)
2013
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Birthday Stories)
2012
25 Best Designed Estonian Books, 2 Certificates of Merit (illustrations and design – Tiia Selli. Happy Miia)
2011
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, 2 Certificates of Merit (illustrations and design – Heli Illipe-Sootak. Kitty Cat Goes on a Trip)
Good Children’s Book (Heli Illipe-Sootak. Kitty Cat Goes on a Trip)
2010
Special Prize ‘Golden Book’ of the National Library of Estonia (Signe Ora. Riddle Me, Riddle Me, Little Leenu!)
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, 2 Certificates of Merit (illustrations and design – Signe Ora. Riddle Me, Riddle Me, Little Leenu!)
Good Children’s Books (Heli Illipe-Sootak. The Kitty Cat Book; Peeter Volkonski. The Wind Flower and the Clock-Bear)
2009
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (The Golden Book of World Fairy Tales)
Good Children’s Book (Wimberg. Mister Toad)
2008
The Knee-High Book Competition, 1–2 place (Signe Ora. Riddle Me, Riddle Me, Little Leenu!)
Special Prize ‘Golden Book’ of the National Library of Estonia (Signe Ora. Uncle Eddie)
25 Best Designed Estonian Books, 2 Certificates of Merit (illustrations and design – Signe Ora. Uncle Eddie)
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, 2 Certificates of Merit (illustrations and design – Signe Ora. Uncle Eddie)
2006
The Knee-High Book Competition, 1–2 place (Signe Ora. Uncle Eddie)
2024
Exhibition of Estonian and Spanish illustrators “Reflections”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Capturing Wonder with Pictures", Kärdla Culture Centre
2023
VII Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT 2023), Estonian Museum of Architecture
International exhibition of illustration "Fox Spirit. Fox Charm", Nadbałtyckie Centrum Kultury, Poland
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Fresh Book Pictures", Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tapa Library, Kärdla Library
2022
International exhibition of illustration "Fox Spirit. Fox Charm", Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Estonian National Museum, Latvian National Library
Participation in Sharjah Exhibition for Children's Books Illustrations, The United Arab Emirates
Solo exhibition "Journey with Story", Tabasalu library
Tallinn Illustration Triennial TIT 2020, Centrum Kultury Dworek Białoprądnicki , Poland
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves. Werewolf", Italy and Latvia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "From the Mountains to the Sea", Kiili Library
Winter exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Kiili Library
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "It's Christmas time", Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
2021
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves. Werewolf", Napoli, Rome, Frigento, Italy
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial TIT 2020, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Russia
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books IV", Moscow, Russia
TIT 2020 & "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books IV", Mytishchi, Russia
"Fables for Robots", Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Central Library of Lääne County, Estonia; Gdansk, Poland
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Fox Spirit. Fox Charm", Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Central Library of Lääne County, Haapsalu, Estonia
Children's Books' Illustrations from Estonian artists", Kehra, Estonia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "From the Mountains to the Sea", Central Library of Lääne County, Haapsalu, Estonia
Exhibition of Estonian artists "Christmas Tale", Syktykvar, Komi Republic
"Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books V", Pskov, Russia
"Little Grimm", Kostivere, Estonia
Participation in Sharjah Exhibition for Children's Books Illustrations, The United Arab Emirates
International art project with "Studio 14" "Кицунэ. Лисьи чары", St. Petersburg, Russia
2020
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators “Leafing Through Estonian Children’s Books III”, Moscow, Russia
International illustrations exhibition "It's Always Tea-Time", Vyborg; St. Petersburg; Kondas Centre, Viljandi, Estonia
2019–2020
Jubilee exhibition “The Story Has Wings”, Rapla, Rakvere, Jõgeva, Tartu, Kohila, Sõmeru
2019
Jubilee exhibition “Drawing Stories”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
Solo exhibition "Spring Whisper", Kostivere, Estonia
Solo exhibition “Picture's Secret”, Pärnu, Estonia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “From the Mountains to the Sea”, Kraków, Rabka-Zdrój, Elbląg, Poland
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators “Leafing Through Estonian Children’s Books II”, Moscow, Kolomna, Russia
2018
Book Illustration Festival BookILL Fest, Novi Sad Fair, Banat Cultural Centre Gallery in Novo Miloševo, Serbia
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators „Tra ghiaccio e fuoco“, Rome, Pesco Sannita, Italy
2018–2020
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators “Running with Wolves”, London, the United Kingdom; Estonian Children’s Literature Centre (“Wolf Run”), Tallinn; Gdańsk, Wrocław, Białystok, Warsaw, Płock, Szczecin, Poland; Pordenone, Italy; Vilnius, Lithuania
2018–2019
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “Running with Wolves”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
2017
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
2016
Book Illustration Festival BookILL Fest, International Book Fair, Novi Sad, Serbia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Travelling exhibition of Estonian illustrators, “A Walk on the Path of Fairy Tale Together with Charles Perrault”, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Russia
2015
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
2015–2020
International illustration exhibition, “It’s Always Tea-Time”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn; Riga, Latvia; Uusikaupunki, Finland; Gdansk, Wrocław, Toruń, Elbląg, Poland; Berlin, Germany; Szczecin, Płock, Poland; Budapest, Hungary; Oxford, the United Kingdom; Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Vyborg, St. Petesburg, Russia
2015–2016
Travelling exhibition, “Made with the Heart. Estonian Children’s Book Illustration”, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Cheboksary, Russia
2014
1st Riga Picture Book Quadrennial “Picture Story”, Latvia
European Professional Doll Art Festival, Riga, Latvia
2014–2017
“Tallinn Illustration Triennial 2013. Estonian Illustrators”, Estonia, Poland
2013
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Travelling exhibition of Estonian illustration, “Etelästä tuulee – Lõunatuul puhub” (The South Wind Blows), Finland
2013–2015
Exhibition by Estonian and Hungarian Illustrators, “Crisscross Stories”, Estonia, Hungary, the United Kingdom
2012–2013
Exhibition by Estonian illustrators, “Old Fairy Tales” (Brothers Grimm), Estonia, Russia
2011 Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
2011–2018
Exhibition of artists from the Baltic Sea countries, “Sea Fairy Tales”, Estonia, Finland, Russia, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Estonia
2010–2011
Travelling Exhibition of Estonian Book Illustration, Russia, Finland
2009
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
2008
Solo exhibition, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn, Estonia
2006
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia