Taanka Friends - Enikő Eged

Enikő Eged is one of our favourite Hungarian illustrators. We're captivated by the world of colours and patterns in her works, the characterful and very lovable recurring motifs, and the atmosphere of her images. We've been fans of Enikő's work for years, and we're thrilled to see her teaming up with quite many well-known Hungarian and international brands. Her illustrations are featured in magazines, clothing, and accessory patterns. Enikő's got great taste, so it's a real pleasure to see that she loves our products and wears them. We're stoked to give you the lowdown on Enikő and her awesome creative world through a short conversation.

Let's start at the beginning. :) Did you know as a kid what you wanted to be when you grow up? When did you first start drawing?

I don't remember, but I participated in drawing competitions when I was in kindergarten already. I really liked drawing and painting. At first, I didn't think you could make a living from it, but that changed in high school and during my time at Eötvös Loránd University when I discovered the world of applied graphic arts.

Who were the artists who inspired you when you were just starting out and who are still close to you today?

First of all, I'd mention my great-grandmother. She was an amazing powder pastel artist and made a lot of pictures for order to support the family. When I was a kid, I copied horses all the time from János Vitéz, and the folk elements and neo-folk style are still close to me today. Before I went to art school, I didn't really follow or study any specific artists, but Austrian expressionism and magical realism in literature were really important to me. Lately, I've been really into the following artists:

Who would be the artist you would most like to be friends with if it were up to you?

Oh, I'm really shy to think about something like that, I don't know - I would really love to meet the female artists of the Bauhaus if I could travel back in time.

What are the most important things in your life that you would never want to give up?

My family, horses, dogs, and cats! I don't think I could work fixed hours according to other people's expectations or rules anymore, so I wouldn't want to give up the freedom that freelance work gives me.

How do you like to spend your free time? What gets you down? What inspires you the most?

Right now, I feel very lucky because I can be outside with my horses almost every day, which is wonderful. It really helps me unwind and find inspiration. I feel less burnt out, my brain doesn't spin at that speed like it does when I'm in the city. Reading and traveling are more direct sources of inspiration for me. They spark a lot of ideas and sketches.

Which of your works from the past years are closest to your heart? And if you could choose any design or art project you wanted, what would it be?

I've been really interested in mural art lately. It would be so cool to create a work like that someday! I'm particularly drawn to my ceramic collaboration with Eszter Tábi, where we crafted cat-shaped bowls. I'm also quite fond of the OAT AVA and VYF collabs. :)

I'm curious, what kind of music do you like to listen to while you're drawing?

It's a bit of a guilty pleasure, but very often it's crappy pop dance hits, remixes, etc. :D anything that's louder than the noise in my head :D or anything that's happening around me - just don't let it be completely silent. t's hard for me to concentrate when I'm working without any noise. I also really like world music.

What characterises your style the most? What's your favourite thing to wear?

I usually put together a set and wear it for days because I like it too much and I don't feel like wearing anything else. Patterns and colour harmonies are key. I like to mix and match different colours, usually picking either orange-red or blue contrast colors next to darker shades. It's also important to make sure it's comfy, especially when it's chilly, so I wear lots of layers. On weekdays, I often just walk around in riding clothes, so in those cases, I just wear a colourful sweatshirt, scarf, or vest, which I put on as an extra when I get home and change out of my dirty riding top.

So, what makes something valuable to you - be it a piece of clothing or any other object?

It's important to me that it's handmade and that the people who crated it get a decent wage for their work. I like to be able to wear it with a variety of outfits, and I want to be able to see that I'll get a lot of use out of it and I can wear it for years. It can also become valuable or interesting for me if I see the harmony and joint dynamics of the colors, patterns or shapes in it that fascinates me, so that my eyes linger on it every time I look at it, somehow it has a good vibe.

Here you can follow Enikő's amazing works, check out her latest designs for Lucy & Yak (the jumpsuit on the images is part of this collaboration) and an other inspiring collab with Nooworks, and a personal favourite: the Magic Sealife collection for YKRA.