Biography
Kristi Kangilaski (1982) is an illustrator, book and graphic designer, author of children's books, and art teacher. She graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts in graphic design in 2013, and is member of the Estonian Graphic Designers Association. Kangilaski regularly collaborates with the Estonian magazine Ema. She has received numerous awards for the books she has written and/or illustrated, and was included in the 2015 White Ravens catalogue.
I start working in my head first. When the vision of a picture is complete, then I take a pencil and draw it on paper. The biggest part of the process happens at a computer. Usually, I cut the drawings up into pieces digitally, "glue" them back together, and then draw over them.
Profile photo: Piia Ruber
2023
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Diploma of the Estonian Children's Literature Centre
2022
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Special prize of the Estonian Graphic Designers’ Union (Kristi Kangilaski. The Good Feeling)
Good Children's Book (Kristi Kangilaski. The Good Feeling)
2019
The Knee-High Book Competition, 2nd place (Kristi Kangilaski. Suur rüütel)
2017
Good Children's Book (Epp Petrone. Magic Words)
The Knee-High Book Competition, 2nd place (Els Heinsalu. Ahhaa!)
2015
The White Ravens (Kristi Kangilaski. Tiu and the Dove)
The Knee-High Book Competition, Honourable Mention (Lana Vatsel. Somebody Always Cares)
2014
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Kristi Kangilaski. Tiu and the Dove)
2013
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Kristiina Kass. Dream Bird’s Nest)
The Knee-High Book Competition, 2nd place (Epp Petrone. Take a Guess)
2012
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Special Prize of the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Estonian Graphic Designers’ Associations’ Special Prize for a young artist (Kristi Kangilaski. The Sun Goes on Holiday)
Good Children's Book (Kristi Kangilaski. The Sun Goes on Holiday)
2011
The Knee-High Book Competition, Honourable Mention (Kristi Mägi = Kristi Kangilaski. Three Stories of the Sun = The Sun Goes on Holiday)
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Diploma of the Estonian Children's Literature Centre
2022
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Special prize of the Estonian Graphic Designers’ Union (Kristi Kangilaski. The Good Feeling)
Good Children's Book (Kristi Kangilaski. The Good Feeling)
2019
The Knee-High Book Competition, 2nd place (Kristi Kangilaski. Suur rüütel)
2017
Good Children's Book (Epp Petrone. Magic Words)
The Knee-High Book Competition, 2nd place (Els Heinsalu. Ahhaa!)
2015
The White Ravens (Kristi Kangilaski. Tiu and the Dove)
The Knee-High Book Competition, Honourable Mention (Lana Vatsel. Somebody Always Cares)
2014
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Kristi Kangilaski. Tiu and the Dove)
2013
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Kristiina Kass. Dream Bird’s Nest)
The Knee-High Book Competition, 2nd place (Epp Petrone. Take a Guess)
2012
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Special Prize of the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Estonian Graphic Designers’ Associations’ Special Prize for a young artist (Kristi Kangilaski. The Sun Goes on Holiday)
Good Children's Book (Kristi Kangilaski. The Sun Goes on Holiday)
2011
The Knee-High Book Competition, Honourable Mention (Kristi Mägi = Kristi Kangilaski. Three Stories of the Sun = The Sun Goes on Holiday)
2023
VII Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT 2023), Estonian Museum of Architecture
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB 2023), Slovakia
2022
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "It's Christmas time", Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves. Werewolf", Italy and Latvia
Tallinn Illustration Triennial TIT 2020, Centrum Kultury Dworek Białoprądnicki , Poland
2021
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves. Werewolf", Napoli, Rome, Frigento, Italy
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial TIT 2020, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Russia
TIT 2020 & "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books IV", Mytishchi, Russia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Fox Spirit. Fox Charm", Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Central Library of Lääne County, Haapsalu
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Tapa Public Library
"Christmas Tale", Syktyvkar, Komi Republic
Solo exhibition "Pink lama", Staapli Gallery, Tallinn
Solo exhibition "Punamütsikesed" (Little Red Hats), Kondas Centre, Viljandi
2020
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
2019
Solo exhibition, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
Spring exhibition, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
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
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “A Window into the Fairy Tale World”, Haapsalu Cultural Centre, Haapsalu Children’s Library
2016
Travelling exhibition of Estonian illustrators, “A Walk on the Path of Fairy Tale Together with Charles Perrault”, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Russia
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
2015–2019
Exhibition of Estonian Illustrators, “Once Upon a Time...” (Grimm’s Fairy Tales), Aosta, Anagni, Lagonegro, Bernalda-Metaponto, Corato, Matera, Roma, Lacco Ameno, Irsina, Siracusa, Sassari, Roma, Bologna, Italy; Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn; Minsk, Belarus; Kraków, Łomża, Białystok, Szczecin, Płock, Warszaw, Elbląg, Gdańsk, Opole, Poland
2015
“Picture Story”, Tallinn, Estonia
2013–2014
Group exhibition “The Visions of Mother Goose. Tribute to Charles Perrault”, Tallinn, Estonia
VII Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT 2023), Estonian Museum of Architecture
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB 2023), Slovakia
2022
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "It's Christmas time", Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves. Werewolf", Italy and Latvia
Tallinn Illustration Triennial TIT 2020, Centrum Kultury Dworek Białoprądnicki , Poland
2021
Exhibition of Baltic illustrators "Running with Wolves. Werewolf", Napoli, Rome, Frigento, Italy
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial TIT 2020, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Russia
TIT 2020 & "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books IV", Mytishchi, Russia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Fox Spirit. Fox Charm", Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Central Library of Lääne County, Haapsalu
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Tapa Public Library
"Christmas Tale", Syktyvkar, Komi Republic
Solo exhibition "Pink lama", Staapli Gallery, Tallinn
Solo exhibition "Punamütsikesed" (Little Red Hats), Kondas Centre, Viljandi
2020
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
2019
Solo exhibition, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
Spring exhibition, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
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
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “A Window into the Fairy Tale World”, Haapsalu Cultural Centre, Haapsalu Children’s Library
2016
Travelling exhibition of Estonian illustrators, “A Walk on the Path of Fairy Tale Together with Charles Perrault”, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Russia
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
2015–2019
Exhibition of Estonian Illustrators, “Once Upon a Time...” (Grimm’s Fairy Tales), Aosta, Anagni, Lagonegro, Bernalda-Metaponto, Corato, Matera, Roma, Lacco Ameno, Irsina, Siracusa, Sassari, Roma, Bologna, Italy; Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn; Minsk, Belarus; Kraków, Łomża, Białystok, Szczecin, Płock, Warszaw, Elbląg, Gdańsk, Opole, Poland
2015
“Picture Story”, Tallinn, Estonia
2013–2014
Group exhibition “The Visions of Mother Goose. Tribute to Charles Perrault”, Tallinn, Estonia
