Awards
2025
Edgar Valter Illustration Award
2024
Nukits competition, 2nd place (Ilmar Tomusk.
Precious Cat)
2023Edgar Valter Illustration Award, nominee
20225 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Ilmar Tomusk.
Precious Cat)
2021Edgar Valter Illustration Award, nominee
The 3rd Peace International Illustration Exhibition 2021, Iran (Chosen from the IBBY Honour List 2020)
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Liis Sein.
Timid Little Fox)
Good Children's Book (Liis Sein.
Timid Little Fox)
2020IBBY Honour List (Ilmar Tomusk.
Wolf's Friends)
20195 Best-Designed Estonian Children’s Books, 2 Certificates of Merit (Liis Sein.
Saskia Looks for Colours; Ilmar Tomusk.
Little Whiskers)
Good Children’s Book (Liis Sein.
Saskia Looks for Colours)
Edgar Valter Illustration Award nominee
20185 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Ilmar Tomusk.
Wolf's Friends)
Good Children’s Book (Ilmar Tomusk.
Wolf's Friends)
International Illustration and Book Design Competition ‘Image of the Book’, Moscow, diploma (
How the Animals Got their Tails)
2017Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonian Children’s Literature Centre diploma
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (
How the Animals Got their Tails, illustrations and design)
20155 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Leelo Tungal.
Joseph the Bunny Looks for a Friend)
2014, 2015Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award candidate
20145 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Kadri Hinrikus.
The Frogs’ Revolt)
Good Children’s Book (Aino Pervik.
Bluephant Goes to Kindergarten)
20135 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, 2 Certificates of Merit (
Birthday Stories; Ellen Niit.
Play Water)
20125 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Aino Pervik.
The Wandering Cat)
25 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (Aino Pervik.
The Wandering Cat)
“Kuldmuna” (Golden Egg) Advertising Awards, Silver Egg and Bronze Egg, Tallinn
20105 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Sulev Oll.
Rascally Proverbs)
20095 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (
The Golden Book of Estonian Fairy Tales)
2008Raisin of the Year Award (
Once Upon a Time…)
5 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (Jaan Rannap.
Flitter-flutter Leaf Warbler), Special prize of Estonian Graphic Designers’ Union (illustrations and design –
Once Upon a Time…)
20075 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Special Prize ‘Golden Book’ of the National Library of Estonia (Uno Leies.
Pussy Cat’s Birthday)
200625 Best Designed Estonian Books, Certificate of Merit (illustrations and design –
Big Book of Fables)
Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Diploma
20035 Best Designed Estonian Children’s Books, Certificate of Merit (design – Leelo Tungal.
Anna and Adam’s Tales)
Exhibitions
Her work has been in many group shows in Estonia, Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, the United Kingdom, the USA and Yugoslavia.
2025Estonian illustration exhibition “Hello! Tere!”, Bologna International Children’s Book Fair, Italy
Illustration exhibition “City of Stories”, Bologna Palazzo d’Accursio, Italy; Estonian National Museum, Estonia
International exhibition of illustration "Magical Forest", National Library of Latvia
International Illustration Exhibition “Sea Change”, Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Tallinn
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "A Sound Mind in a Sound Body”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn
2024
International exhibition of illustration "Magical Forest", Estonian Children’s Literature Centre; Jõhvi Art School Gallery
TIT 2023 and TIT 2020 Estonian illustrators, Płock Art Gallery, Poland
Group exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books V", National Academic Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan
Exhibition of Estonian and Spanish illustrators "Reflections", Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Tell Me a Fairy Tale!", 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
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB 2023)
Exhibition "Fox Spirit. Fox Charm", Nadbałtyckie Centrum Kultury, Poland
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Fresh book images", Tapa Town Library, Cultural Centre of Kärdla, Kohila Library
2021Tallinn Illustrations Triennial TIT 2020, Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Russia
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB 2021), Slovakia
TIT 2020 & "Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books", Mytishchi, Russia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Fox Spirit. Fox Charm", Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Tallinn; Central Library of Lääne County, Haapsalu
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
Exhibition of Estonian artists "Christmas Tale", Syktyvkar, Komi Republic
"Leafing Through Estonian Children's Books V", Pskov, Russia
2020Tallinn Illustration Triennial (TIT), Estonia
International illustrations exhibition "It's Always Tea-Time", Vyborg, St. Petersburg, Russia; Kondas Centre, Viljandi
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Once Upon a Time..." (Grimm's fairy tales), Tapa Public Library, Estonia; Gallery Deák17, Budapest, Hungary
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “From the Mountains to the Sea”, Central Library of Saare County, Kuressaare, Estonia
Joint exhibition of Edgar Valter Illustration Award nominees, Estonian Children's Literature Centre, Central Library of Saare County, Kuressaare, Estonia
2019Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “From the Mountains to the Sea”, Kraków, Rabka-Zdrój, Elbląg, Poland
International illustrations exhibition "It's Always Tea-Time", Moscow, Krasnoarmeysk, Mytishchi, Russia
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators "Once Upon a Time..." (Grimm's fairy tales), Opole, Gdansk, Poland; Tapa, Estonia
2018Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “Running with Wolves”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators „Masters of Estonian children’s books“/“Power of Pictures“ in Russia: Krasnoarmeysk, Moscow
2017Catherine Zarip's and Anne Linnamägi's jubilee exhibiton "The Century", Tapa City Library
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
2016Catherine Zarip's and Anne Linnamägi's jubilee exhibiton "The Century", Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Spring exhibition of Estonian illustrators, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre
Exhibition of Estonian illustrators “Fairy Tales Come to Visit”, New York Estonian House, USA
Exhibiton of Estonian illustrators “Neighbours Who Love to Read”, Pskov City Library, Russia
2015–2020International 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, Vyborg, St. Petesburg, Russia
2015–2019Exhibition 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
2014European Professional Doll Art Festival, Riga, Latvia
2014–2017 Travelling exhibition “Tallinn Illustration Triennial 2013. Estonian Illustrators”, Estonia, Poland
2013Il Posto delle Favole, an international group exhibition, province of Rieti, Italy
Solo exhibition, Estonian State Puppet Theatre, Tallinn
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
2013–2014Group exhibition, “The Visions of Mother Goose. Tribute to Charles Perrault”, Tallinn, Estonia
2012–2013 Exhibition by Estonian illustrators, “Old Fairy Tales” (Brothers Grimm), Estonia, Russia
2012Solo exhibition, Ilon’s Wonderland, Haapsalu, Estonia
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
2009–2010 2nd “Blue Book Group”, an international illustration exhibition, Iran, Japan, Spain, Argentina
2009Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
2008Illustration exhibition “Once Upon a Time…”, Estonian Children’s Literature Centre, Tallinn, Estonia
2007Exhibition of Estonia’s leading book illustrators, “Suur valmiraamat” (Big Book of Fables), Haus Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia
2006Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
2005Biennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB), Slovakia
2003Tallinn Illustrations Triennial (TIT), Estonia
Essay
One of Estonia’s most renowned book illustrators had two dreams as a child: to become a cosmonaut or an illustrator. Two completely different desires: one that physically takes you to such distances, and another that can so much as be seen and touched! Catherine Zarip enrolled in the Estonian Academy of Arts (EKA) to study something very tactile – ceramics. She graduated in the field in 1995, but was given the chance to illustrate a workbook already during her last semester at the university, and indeed switched from ceramics to book design. In reality, there was nothing surprising about this. According to Zarip, she learned to read at a very young age and discovered the world of illustration at the same time, also. Libraries and bookshops soon became her favourite places. Even her first allowance was spent precisely on books, so that she could design her very own little library! Immediately after graduating from EKA, Zarip took a job as a book designer with the publisher Avita, where she worked until 2014 as the head artist for the majority of the time. Outside of her publishing work, Catherine Zarip arrived at illustrating children’s books more than a decade ago. In addition, she has frequently done work for the children’s magazine Täheke and been featured at exhibitions. It certainly is not the same as conquering the cosmos, but it allows her to roam through her fantasies ideally.
Catherine Zarip’s works are most correctly viewed through the prism of paradox. A book designer’s job is not easy. Given today’s publishing conditions, a head artist has to act quickly – contract deadlines are constantly breathing down his or her neck, there are perpetually cover designs to be done, illustrators have to be found, and – when necessary – the artist has to illustrate the books themselves, too. And so, Catherine Zarip has done the designs and cover art for several textbooks published by Avita, and has contributed a voluminous number of illustrations. However, there also has to remain time for one’s own original works alongside quick reaction-time. Zarip’s illustrations are very well-considered and the outcome of deep concentration. The artist finds that illustration must speak to the reader and not only depict the text in a visual manner, but enrich it as well. Illustration should help the reader peek behind the text for a moment, too.
Catherine Zarip’s illustrations always leave a fresh and elegant impression. Yet, what hides behind these abstract descriptive categories? In terms of composition, she frequently nudges the centre of gravity towards the fringes, which is in no way derived from the need to position text in a certain place. This state of “offset” results in a film-like feeling at times – you never know what else might surface somewhere! Zarip often implements completely unexpected perspectives when observing an object. Her pictures contain a great deal of air; of unoccupied surface. In spite of the absence of figurative filler, the space is not empty or simply left blank to achieve greater contrast. Instead, it is lightly filled with a tone or pattern, and is made into an inseparable part of the illustration.
In regards to illustration techniques, the artist often uses acrylic paints. This gives her the opportunity to make backgrounds glow as they do with watercolours, and allows her to apply colours more freely, resulting in fascinating factures and layering. Zarip’s colour solutions are manifold, ranging from pastels (although very colourful shades) through works done almost in the grisaille technique, where only a few lone brighter splotches of colour have settled. When using pastel tones, there is often the danger of the picture becoming too sweet; however, in Zarip’s works, some kind of balance is always found for every “sweeter” colour combination. Even when using milder tones, her works never turn foggy or diffused. The picture’s surfaces can indeed be processed to a very detailed point in places, but Zarip is able to avoid general dullness. Her figures possess clear boundaries for the most part, but are not drawn emphatically. Zarip’s signature can be recognised precisely by way of her animal characters, which are always very endearing and expressive. There is nothing insistently childish about them, nor are they excessively stylised or cute. Rather, one can sense human characteristics behind their expressions – outright personalities. At the same time, they are all characterised by a certain sort of contemplativeness.
Returning to the aforementioned paradox, one may say that this is exactly where the elegancy of Catherine Zarip’s works lies – her illustrations are simultaneously living and restrained; both detailed and generalising.
Catherine Zarip has written the following about her work: “Creating a drawn world is incredible work. You must come up with something new every time, and enhance your knowledge about the world and things. That probably is the kind of job every person should have – doing what you like and being able to create joy for others as well.”
It seems that Catherine Zarip’s childhood dream was fulfilled regardless. You do not need to be a cosmonaut to view the world from a certain distance and always in a new way – being a book illustrator suffices.
Text by Eva Laantee Reintamm
21.03.2014
Catherine Zarip (1966) is an illustrator and graphic designer. She graduated from the Estonian Academy of Arts in ceramics 1995, after which she worked at the publisher Avita as a book designer and art director. She is currently a freelance artist. Zarip has illustrated dozens of textbooks, more than 30 children’s books, and has designed about 200 works in total. She is a member of the Estonian Graphic Designers Association and the Estonian Section of IBBY. Zarip has been awarded twice at the Tallinn Illustrations Triennial and ten times in the 5 Best-Designed Estonian Children’s Books competition. Her works are held in the collections of the Estonian National Library and the Estonian Children’s Literature Centre. Her art is fresh and elegant – simultaneously animated and restrained, detail-rich and simplified.
