Made in Utrecht La Nonette’s illustrations

Made in Utrecht

UTRECHT HAS A THRIVING MAKERS SCENE PRODUCING A CONTINUOUS STREAM OF UNIQUE PRODUCTS, SUCH AS THE CHEERFUL ILLUSTRATIONS MADE BY LA NONETTE.

ByManon Marijs

CHEERFUL ILLUSTRATIONS La Nonette

MANY OF THE CHEERFUL ILLUSTRATIONS THAT LA NONETTE CREATES ON CARDS, STICKERS AND MURAL ART PRINTS ARE DESIGNED TO QUESTION THE IMPOSSIBLE FEMININE BEAUTY IDEAL.

La Nonette is the pseudonym of illustrator Manon Bijkerk: it’s an abbreviation of her first names, with ‘La’ alluding to her French-Belgian roots. She is well-known for her cheerful illustrations on cards, stickers and art prints for on the wall. Manon graduated in 2011, in the middle of the economic crisis. ‘At that time, becoming an illustrator of children’s books, for example, simply wasn’t an option. So I decided to rely on myself, bought a printer and started my solo label.’

Barcelona, where she lived for a time, is a great source of inspiration to her. The colours and vibe of the city drive her style of drawing. In a nod to feminism, women are often the key figures in her prints. ‘Illustration is largely communication. I want to draw attention to social themes like

THE COLOURS AND VIBE OF BARCELONA DRIVE HER STYLE OF DRAWING

sexuality and the impossible feminine beauty ideal.’ La Nonette calls these myths into question with texts such as I was born bikini ready. ‘I like to draw strong women. My illustrations are recognisable and accessible: I’m trying to generate a sort of ‘dependable big sister’ feeling.’

Find it on the map See page 64

Manon is co-owner of creative studio Urlaub, where she teaches illustration classes. Her work is on sale in Utrecht at Hutspot 1 , PUHA 2 and Studio JUX 3 . etsy.com/shop/lanonette @la_nonette