Kate Taylor
Children's Illustrator
Did you attend art school or undertake any other formal artistic training?
I did a Foundation Course at Hull College of Art and a degree at Maidstone College of Art (which is now part of Kent Institute of Art and Design).
Where do you currently live and where did you grow up?
I currently live in West Yorkshire, but grew up in the lovely Hope Valley in the Peak District.
What was your first commission as a professional illustrator?
I'm not sure what the first commission was (it was so long ago ...) but one of the first was a couple of books for Walker Books (For Boots). 'Baby Animals on the Farm' and 'Baby Animals at the Zoo'. The images from both books were also sold in boxes as jigsaws.
Do you keep a sketch book?
Yes, in fits and starts. Sketchbooks are brilliant for gathering ideas and remembering events in a much more personal way than taking a photograph ever can.
What do you do in your spare time?
In my spare time I run marathons. I'm a member of the Marathon 100 club UK and am heading towards my 200th marathon. I love travelling, so it's fun to combine the two interests.
Have you taken part in any speaker events?
On occasion I have given talks about my work and run workshops at schools and libraries, but I much prefer pootling about at home drawing. I love working from home!
When you are not drawing, how do you like to relax?
I like to bake, although I am not very good at it. I'm probably happiest eating cake while watching 'The Great British Bake Off'.
How do you get your creative juices flowing?
Cake definitely does it for me! One of the downfalls of working from home all day is the easy access to the fridge ...
Animals feature heavily in children’s books – do you have a pet?
I love cats! I have a black long haired rescue cat called Melody. She's fierce, hates all other cats, and I'm not sure she even likes me.
