EVERYDAY MOMENTS
CACTTONE & SHIGEHISA KITATANI
Ulee, otherwise known as Cacttone, is a self-taught digital illustrator based in Thessaloniki, Greece. Though she never received formal teaching, she started drawing as a teenager. It paid off, too; for the last few years, she has worked across photography, retouching and album design. It was these experiences that led her to the world of digital illustration. “It’s become a new love of mine,” she told Cluster. As her artist name suggests, most of her work centres around cacti and succulents, objects that embody, for Cacttone, admirable qualities; self-sufficiency, selflessness and a constant state of zen.
Funky pots, cacti | 2021 BUY THIS FROM OUR ONLINE SHOP
Girl wandering | 2021 BUY THIS FROM OUR ONLINE SHOP
Her illustrations read like snapshots of life’s smaller moments - Sunday afternoons on the sofa, say, or taking a hard earned bath. “Sometimes I feel that life is too complicated and what is needed is to take a step back, observe and appreciate the daily things and occasions,” she explains. “Simple things can inspire you, too, and we should be grateful for that every day.”
Using colour as her primary tool, all of Cacttone’s illustrations are made with my digital pens and particular brushes. Though she finds inspiration in photos and the work of other artists, she rarely illustrates from memory, preferring instead to seek references from her immediate surroundings. “Occasionally, I want to create something specific that I have imagined, but during the process, I do something else. Randomness and flexibility are also parts of this journey,” she added.
Delicate glass vases | 2021
Through Cluster, Cactonne wants to spread her positive message to others. “It’s nice to see some of my limited edition prints in Cluster’s online gallery among other great artists,” she told us, “I’m excited about the workshops and upcoming book, too.” Currently, she is working on an illustrative essay on ways to overcome creative block. The series contains fifteen illustrations that depict strategies to get inspired, organise your thoughts and receive new ideas. “My next plan is to organise an exhibition of my illustrations in my city and I am delighted about it!”
Dot pot Pilea | 2021
Leopon, From the series Zoo| 2021 BUY THIS PIECE HERE
Likewise, the work of Shigehisa Kitatani celebrates similarly ordinary subjects. A hybrid illustrator and graphic designer, he studied design at university in Japan. After which, he began work in the advertising industry at Nippon Design Centre, the largest design company in Japan. “I found it fun utilising my illustrations in my design work,” he told Cluster.
His work focuses on scenes from everyday life; chefs working in a kitchen, a platter of cheeses, a man about to take a swing at the golf course. Using colour and character, his illustrations highlight both the humour and pleasure that can be found in the quotidian. Reflecting on this, he explained, “this is just my personality, so naturally, it filters through into my creative expression. I hope people find a sense of fun in my images.”
Kinkochan, From the series Zoo | 2021
All of Shigehisa’s work is conducted on Japanese paper, or occasionally print paper, using various tools like brushes, pens and charcoal. Once he has completed a draft, he prefers to finish the images digitally. “Most of the time, I work from my imagination,” he added, “but of course there are times when I will refer to photographs.” By joining Cluster’s international community, Shigehisa aspires to learn about global creative traditions. “I’m particularly interested in British art and illustration,” he added. Right now, he is channelling his energy into advertisements, picture books and tableau.
Wolf, From the series Zoo | 2021 BUY THIS PIECE HERE
The Elephant’s Balloon, From the series Zoo | 2021
By paying close attention to the quotidian moments we so rarely acknowledge, Ulee’s ‘Cacctone Utopia’ and Shigehisa’s humorous illustrations elevate the unremarkable as something, well, quite remarkable.
Work by both Cacttone & Shigehisa Kitatani can be viewed on the Cluster Illustration platform
and purchased through our Cluster Illustration Online Shop.
Thank you for reading,
Stephanie Gavan & Cluster Team.