
kamila wojciechowicz-krauze
about me
Illustrator | Designer | Painter
“Shakespeare said that art is a mirror held up to nature. This is your nature, and all of these wonderful poetic images of mythology are referring to something in you. When your mind is trapped by the image out there so that you never make the reference to yourself, you have misread the image.”
― Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth.
Looking back, everything started with J. Campbell, one of my favorite philosophers. He inspired me to create illustrations, connected to myths from different parts of the world. Most of my work is deeply rooted in classic European art, especially Bosch, Dürer and Piranesi. I’m passionate about the history of art, ballet, opera and draw inspiration from old graphics and costume designs. I am also influenced by XXth century artists, such as L. Carrington, M. Chagall, J. Wilkoń, and S. Delaunay.
Why do I create art? It would be cliché to say that it is the sole purpose of my life. But in fact, it is one of the most important aspects of my existence, apart for family and friends.
My works differ in size and media. I like to experiment a great deal with various techniques, such as collage, colorful inks and tissue paper. I love linear work, but I'm also passionate about color, and P. Klee, H. Matisse and O. Hajek are my experts in terms of color relations. My main objective in illustration is to achieve a perfect combination of masterful linear work and the simplicity of saturated colors. That is why I use collage in my works and saturated colored inks to add some freshness to the vintage drawings.
The first crucial art project I completed was my Visuals Arts MA project, Setting the Stage. It was a collection of 4 graphics, depicting theatre stages inspired by H. Bosch’s Garden of Earthly Delights, operas such as Don Giovanni, The Rake’s Progress and Faust. Another important art project I completed was The Bestiary-4 graphics depicting creatures described by Borges in his Book on Imaginary Beings and the Slavic Bestiary: 8 graphics depicting characters from well known tales & forgotten folklore, popular in Central & Eastern Europe.
I have received multiple awards and merits for my illustrations and have sold my art pieces to collectors worldwide, including Australia, Germany, Belgium, Italy, Spain, France, USA, China, South Korea and the United Kingdom.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Job description
Kama Arts | 2012-Present | Freelance Illustrator
WhippoorwillO | Adult Fiction | 2023 | Book Cover Illustrator
Mara and the Bad Wolf | Childrens' Book | 2022-2023 | Book Illustrator
Wind in the Willows | Childrens' Book | 2018-2020 | Book Illustrator
Kocie Sprawy | Magazine | 2007-2014 | Illustrator & Volunteer
The Two Brothers | Collaboration | 2014-2016 | Illustrator
Adventures of Anatol F. | Novel | 2009 | Book Illustrator
Selected Exhibitions
ONA/SHE | Volvo Cars Warsaw | 2024 | Warsaw
Seoul Illustration Fair | COEX Exhibition & Conference Centre | 2023 | Seoul
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Exposition d'Art Polonais | GOYPA | 2022 | Paris
Art Box Project at Swiss Art Expo | Zurich HB | 2022 | Zurich
Art Nordic | Lokomotive Museum | 2022 | Copenhagen
NO FILTER DXB | Dubai Harbour | 2021 | Dubai
Art Next Expo | PMQ Building | 2019 | Hong Kong
Bye Bye Epidemic | Metamorfozy | 2021 | Warsaw
Sztuka w czasie Pandemii | OWZPAP | 2020 | Warsaw
7th Intl. Artist Residency | Scenic Hudson River Center | 2019 | Beacon NY
Small is Great! | Jadite Gallery | 2018 | NYC
3rd Intl. Artist Residency | Hotel Leopolis | 2018 | Cracow
Tribute to Old Masters | Polish Institute of Arts & Sciences | 2018 | NYC
Art Next Expo | PMQ Building | 2017 | Hong Kong
When Women Dream | Riverwinds Gallery | 2017 | Beacon NY
Metamorphosis | SD Galeria Szucha 8 | 2017 | Warsaw
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2nd Intl. Artists Residency | Scenic Hudson River Center | 2017 | Beacon NY
8th Art Fresh Festival | Sheraton Hotel | 2017 | Warsaw
Autumn in the Hudson Valley | Orange County College | 2016 | Middletown
Intl. Artists Residency | Scenic Hudson River Center | 2016 | Beacon NY
Kama Arts Show | Fochy & Fanaberie Gallery | 2016 | Warsaw
Biennial of Miniatures | Gaude Mater Institute | 2016 | Częstochowa
Sun and Soil | Museum of Linen | 2016 | Żyrardów
Fantasmagorie | Parę Osób Gallery | 2015 | Warsaw
Open Art Milano | Art Passage Gallery | 2015 | Milan
MA Exhibition | Camberwell College of Arts | 2015 | London
The Bestiary | Chelsea College of Arts | 2015 | London
Shacklewell Arts Fair | The Shacklewell | 2014 | London
Pommegranate Exhibition | Brixton Gallery | 2014 | London
1st Prize | 7th Concorso Buenos Aires | 2015 | Milan
2nd Prize | Generation of Young Artists | 2016 | Warsaw
3x Merit | 3x3 Magazine of Contemporary Illustration | 2015, 2019, 2020 | NYC
2 x H Mentions | 3x3 Magazine of Contemporary Illustration | 2016 | NYC
Merit | Luxembourg Art Prize | 2021 | Luxembourg
education & courses
Camberwell College of Arts | MA Illustration | Janet Woolley
Academy of Fine Arts Warsaw | BA Graphics | prof. Piotr Smolnicki
Fabrica delle Favole | Illustration Summer Course | Chiara Carrer
Special Skills
awards
Photo modelling, costume design skills, make-up artist skills, photography skills, visual design, painting.