Kat Quin is a celebrated illustrator and author known for her vibrant and imaginative children’s books. Her creative journey began unexpectedly, when her talent was spotted by her kaiako on a Te Ara Reo Māori course at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. This chance interaction led to her first professional illustrations for educational programmes, and eventually to a successful career in children’s literature.

Quin’s creative process combines both traditional and digital techniques. When working on a book, she begins with pencil sketches, carefully developing concepts before rendering them digitally. This method allows her to achieve colours and images that remain true throughout the process. She is also responsible for the layout design, ensuring that the text and illustrations work harmoniously to tell a compelling story.

“Creativity is my imagination being able to translate that into something that other people can see – what’s happening in my brain, I feel lucky enough to actually put onto a piece of paper and say, ‘this is what I’m seeing, this is a whole world I’ve created in my mind.'”

Creativity, for Kat, is the ability to translate the vivid worlds in her imagination into something tangible that others can experience. Whether through her whimsical illustrations or her educational resources, she finds joy in sharing her vision and stories with children, helping them explore new worlds.

Kat is particularly proud of her work with “Kiwis for Kiwi,” where book sales have raised over $60,000 to support the conservation of New Zealand’s iconic native bird.

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