Inspiration is a strange thing and mine was the result of an overdue catch-up coffee, in compliance with precautions for the pandemic: I was gifted a printed sketchbook of Teuta Kelmendi’s work.

The sketchbook is ingenious. It depicts Teuta’s work over 30 days during which she recorded her daily routine of coffee drinking. In addition to enjoying these beautiful, almost cartoon-like drawings, one gets to see 30 different cafes and how the youth of Prishtina spend their mornings. Teuta has a background in architecture, something that comes through clearly in these drawings. Amidst the collection, there are a few places I was not aware of and which I plan to sample. The one drawing though that brought back memories is of “Elida”, and that is a story for another blog.

Teuta is already making a name for herself in the art world; this is how the booklet came to be – her work was chosen as part of a contest in which over 100 artists from 23 countries participated. My advice to art lovers is to seize this opportunity and make some of her excellent work theirs. If you want to foray gently then look for totes, the booklet, and other items proudly displaying the sketches which she will start selling shortly.

Scroll through the beautiful artwork she posts on her Facebook page Yugen by Teuta Kelmendi and DM her for details.

And in the real fashion of art imitating life imitating art, I enjoyed the sketchbook over a coffee at my favourite coffee place.