As a copywriter I specialise in formulating short public-focused texts about creative work. Whether you’re a fellow designer, artist or musician, I can help shine a light on your work and describe it effectively and poetically from an outside perspective. I teach writing to design students and have developed a unique methodology for writing short, focused, concept texts, artist statements and press releases.
As an experienced translator of German to (British) English, I specialise in topics related to art and design and also academic writing. Below you’ll find an overview of my past writing and translation projects and links to my clients.
Send me an email with details of your project to info[at]yolandaleask.com and I’ll gladly get back to you with a quote/estimate.
Writing Projects
2026 (forthcoming) Matterscapes: title TBC. Matters of Activity, Humboldt University Cluster of Excellence. Co-authored with Dr Lucy Norris and Hanna Wiesener. Article about research methods of designers/researchers in relation to wool fibre.
2025 (forthcoming) Bloomsbury World of Textiles Encyclopaedia, article on ‘Cloudwool’
2019 – present Teaching of Concept Writing to students of Product Design at weissensee school of art and design Berlin. As a guest lecturer, Yolanda has contributed to over 8 semester projects. Her role involves supervising the creation of short texts suitable for press or websites that summarise the students’ design concepts. Reference: Designing Interactions
December 2020 weissensee school of art and design Berlin – Writing of website texts to represent the skillset of junior lecturers from the design departments.
Feb 2020 Writing, editing and correction of website texts for design Studio Boost
2017 – 2019 Website copy and press releases for renowned furniture design agency Studio 7.5
2016 Management and PR for the band Colourful, writing of press releases and public relations work, liaising with the press and music labels.
2011 – 2014 Music reviews and journalism for UK music blog ‘The 405’
Translation and Editing Projects
January 2024 Translation of concept texts from German to English for The future is _ an interdisciplinary project by the department of product design at weissensee school of art and design berlin, Prof. Nils Krüger, and the Innovation Group of Volkswagen AG
February 2023 Translation of concept texts from German to English for Urban Future Mobility, a project by the department of product design at weissensee school of art and design berlin, Prof. Nils Krüger.
December 2022 Proof-reading, editing and translation of website texts for Design Farm Berlin
November 2022 Translation from German to English of a design-research interview text for the publication ‘Magic Circle’. Client: Humboldt Universität Berlin – Matters of Activity.
October 2022 Proofreading and editing of book Atlas of a Dream Volcano for client: Alexandra Ruppert
August 2022 Interpreting and correspondence in English for German homelessness charity Little Homes e.V.
May 2022 Proof-reading and editing of academic paper A Survey of German Economics 2015-2022 authored by: Urban, J. (Netzwerk für Plurale Oekonomik, Heidelberg) and Rommel, F. (Causanus Hochschule, Koblenz)
March 2021 Translation and editing of introduction for Alice in Wonderland Book project by Alexandra Ruppert & Daniel Weberruß
August 2020 Book translation Zwischen Schein und Sein: Ostdeutsche Modegrafik 1960-1990 (Between Vision and Reality: East German Fashion Drawings 1960-1990) by authors Ute Lindner, Mathias Bertram, Ulrike Vogt, with a foreword by Wolfgang Joop.
July 2020 Translation of academic paper on wearable technologies for dementia patients, for client: Dr Julia Danckwerth
May 2020 Subtitling of Webinars/Video seminars from German to English for client: Goethe Institut Bangladesh – as part of the project Local International 2020 in cooperation with weissensee school of art and design berlin.
March 2020 proofreading and editing of academic publication about niche innovations in Europe for the transformation of the food system – NEuropa for client: NAHhaft e.V.
December 2019 Translation of exhibition text ‘Fictive Appearance’ from German to English for Japanese Berlin-based artist Yotaro Niwa
November 2019 Proof-reading and translation of texts from German to English for the catalogue publication of GreenDesign 8.0 – Circular City. Mapping Berlin’s Material Streams. Client: greenlab interdisciplinary laboratory for sustainable design strategies at weissensee school of art and design berlin
July 2019 Correction and editing of texts for the new edition of the Herman Miller book. Client: Studio 7.5
January 2019 English translation of texts for exhibition Modegrafiken der DDR ,,Zwischen Schein und Sein”. Clients: Ute Lindner and Stiftung Reinbeckhallen
December 2018 Proof-reading and translation of texts from German to English for the documentation of the project ‘Smart Materials Satellites’. Client: greenlab interdisciplinary laboratory for sustainable design strategies at weissensee school of art and design berlin
2017 – 2018 Translation of marketing copy for jeweller Hans Rivoir GmbH, Pforzheim
October 2017 Translation of the exhibition catalogue of designer Helmut Staubach – China Works for client: Ariane Staubach
2015-2017 Communications and PR (student assistant) for department of Textile and Surface Design, weissensee school of art and design berlin
August 2017 Translation of fashion design concept texts from German to English for the project LOCAL INTERNATIONAL. Client: Prof. Heike Selmer, weissensee school of art and design berlin
August 2017 Proof-reading and editing of academic texts in English. Client: Danckwerth Lab, design-researcher Dr. Julia Danckwerth
May 2017 Translation of texts for the exhibition Helmut Staubach – China Works
April 2017 Translation of fashion design concept texts from German to English for client: Prof. Heike Selmer, weissensee school of art and design berlin
April 2017 Translation of concept texts in the department of product design for the project Reactive Light. Client: Prof. Carola Zwick, weissensee school of art and design berlin
August 2016 Translation of texts and voiceover acting for english-language video project. Client: IZT – Institut für Zukunftsstudien und Technologiebewertung gemeinnützige GmbH
July 2016 Translation of concept texts in the department of product design. Client: Prof. Carola Zwick, weissensee school of art and design berlin
2013-2016 Editing and correction of Masters theses in English language by non-native speaker students of social science in Berlin.