Charlotte The Illustrator – Martin Le Lapin

Charlotte of Martin Le Lapin is a French illustrator who has made her home in Folkestone via Japan and London. She’s done her share of corporate work and now a freelance finds Folkestone a place where she can grow her profile.  Folkelife met for a coffee and chat.

“I grew up just north of Paris and then came to the UK in 2009 to study.  After graduating I worked in various different places and had a work visa for Japan that was about to expire in 2020.  My husband and I went out there just before Lockdown, but then, as the borders were closed, we ending staying far longer than anticipated.  When we returned, we went back to London, but now with a baby too, it was so expensive. 

“We put our price-range to rent into Zoopla and found properties within an hour radius of London.  We were on our way to Deal but my husband discovered a restaurant in Folkestone called The Folkestone Wine Company.  Stopping there for lunch meant we never got to Deal.  Folkestone has this vibe that really suited us.  We did get to Deal eventually, and that just confirmed that Folkestone was the right place for us.”

being noticed in the crowd

“Folkestone is a small town and it works for me as an artist.  There’s space here for me to collaborate with other artists, but also to not be lost in the crowd.  When I was in London, the opportunities for pop-up venues were very frequent.  Yet, there would have been so many other people exhibiting that no one would recognise me. 

“It’s easier to be human here and chat to people, and make those connections and collaborations.  Living here is being part of a big neighbourhood.  When in London, even my local baker didn’t recognise me, yet here you get to meet people, work with them and help each other.  We can create together which is so much more positive.”

becoming an illustrator

“When I was little I always wanted to be a children’s illustrator.  Then, when in my teens, I wanted to be a fashion designer.  I did the prep for Art College and found that Fashion Design was far to brutal for me. People are nice, but the pace and the mentality of the industry was not for me.  I found I liked drawing cute pictures and so went to St Martin’s College in London.  

“When you’re young, you don’t really take advantage of all the opportunities that come your way.  I can remember doing an introductory class in screen printing, but left it at that.  I never did risograph printing, which, along with screen printing is what I do a lot of now.  Getting my first job I realised I needed some sort of creative outlet, and so signed up for a screen printing evening class, and that’s how I found my process for the work I do now.” 

maps, colour and layers

“I enjoy creating maps as part of my work.  They are usually of places I have lived in, so Paris, London, Japan and here. I like the idea of layering my work, and using lots of vibrant colours.  So risograph and screen printing work well with what I do. 

“When I was in Japan I worked with Japan Airlines to create an illustrated map of Tokyo.  Every two months, I would create a new area of Tokyo as part of their commission.  I did the same for a London magazine when I returned, and I do a lot of estate development work too. 

“I went to visit one of my clients in Brent Cross recently and my work is across the hoarding that surrounds the development in progress.  It’s like a neighbourhood full of my illustrations, which are there to bring people together.”

local collaborations

“Collaborations have come up in many different places in town.  For example, I’ve got a nice card collection with Objectables, and I’ve created the new loyalty cards for Yoke, the yoga place on Guildhall Street.

“I have also been doing lots of pop-up exhibitions and shops with other artists I have met since living here.  They work well for me, and I can’t wait to do more.”