Ilze Strautins

Ilze was born in  1950 in Adelaide to Latvian parents who came to Australia as displaced persons after WW2.

A graphic designer for some 50 years, Ilze has illustrated 5 Latvian language books. Her Fine Art etchings of the “Sleeping Beauty” are in the collection of the Applied Art School of Zurich, where she studied in 1972-3. Original etchings, graphic design and paintings are in private collections in Australia and Latvia.

Creatively, Ilze has explored henna tattooing, photography, contemporary fibre art wall quilts and acrylic painting. Currently she is block printing Latvian power symbol lino cuts and screen printing Latvian embroidery designs onto cotton tea-towels.

Ilze has exhibited extensively in South Australia as well as interstate and Europe.

She often exhibits alongside her amicably-ex husband, Peter Coombe, who creates joyously colourful art