INTERVIEW

INTERVIEW from DPI Magazine

Q1: Would you share something about yourself with us? Like your education background, your homeland, your career, or anything you want to say.

I will be eternally grateful to the elementary school I attended in Rome and the education I received at home. Both increased my natural aptitude for creativity, freedom and research.
At school, in addition to the usual school subjects, we were free to play in the mud of the park for hours, we were taught to make vinegar, to crochet, silk screening and photography. Our creativity was nurtured. We classified fossils and mushrooms found in the park; we cultivated the garden and tropical fish. After school, I played the piano and went to dance class. The rest of the time was spent drawing. The only thing I hated was reading because the books that they gave me did not have any pictures. In fact, I only had three picture books when I was young. But, just those three picture books were enough to affect all my art!

In high school I studied languages ​​(English, French, Latin and Russian) and I wanted to be too many things! A translator, in gymnast and an artist.
Then I decided to study illustration at the European Institute of Design of Rome and had de chance to study one year in Paris at the ESAG paid for by a grant I won. In Paris, while working on my thesis project, I realized my deep desire to be an artist and decided to make art for the rest of my life.
Lately, while making picture books, I have sensed my need to compensate for the lack of figures in my childhood books.
In these 34 years, drawing is the only practice I never left, not even for a day. It 's my mother tongue, my real way to observe, think and celebrate my life!

Q2: How will you describe your art style?

Very expressive but unfussy, simple and “frontal”.
Someone noticed a poetic-existential lyric in my work. But lately I headed to a more playful and fully charged atmosphere. Many of my works are unique, but the one thing that brings together all my drawings is this frontal view: there is always an horizontal line, drawn or imagined, which divides the sheet in half and traces the horizon.

Q3: As an illustrator, how did you start to create illustrated ceramics? What is the difference between painting on paper and on ceramics to you?

I felt the urgent need to go back to drawing with the same freedom that children have. After 34 years of drawing I had reached an almost annoying degree of technique and control.

So I was wondering how I could fool my tendency  to draw “well”.

And so one day, my imagination was kidnapped by a white ceramic bisque cup in the window of a shop. Later on, I started to make hand made ceramics and  it was love at first sight. That's how the world of the third dimension, volume, and the tactile sense came into my life.

Ceramics is my gym of play and experimentation. It has influenced me and changed the way I draw.

Q4: What material, technique and tool do you use for your ceramic artworks? (image needed)

My approach to ceramics is mostly intuitive and empiric. (To be understood as a long series of tries and experiments).

I use very common materials and pretty simple techniques and tools.

But I always try to personalize them. How?

I hand carve my rubber stamps to illustrate the pieces; I use coiled porcelain paper clay in moulds even if it is usually banned in ceramics manuals; I make my own recipes for glazes and mix different clays.

The surprise effects of errors and mistakes are welcome, and I also try to extrapolate my technique from them.

I think, the more specific the feeling or idea of what I want to reach is, the more personalized my tools and my way of working have to be.

Q5: It seems that you make the shape of ceramics imperfect and leave the sense of handmade quality on purpose. What do you want people to appreciate or feel your ceramic artworks?

I like this role as a "testing ground" that I have given to my making of ceramics by hand. And perhaps the public is able to perceive this in my work.

Or, it could be an irreverent game of making tableware as I like, because in Italy even the hand made products often look as perfect as the industrial products.

Q6: Your ceramics are stunningly lovely. Could you introduce the series of “weaving girl”? Where did the inspiration come from? Could you talk about the making process? (image needed)

Here I explore the relationship between utilitarian objects and personal narrative. I buy the ceramic bisques in Deruta, Italy. These white simple objects are almost anonymous, and highlight the black pencil drawing.

The idea of the scarf came suddenly, intuitively and of course from my sketchbook.

I was looking for a sign, a pattern that vibrated and could give movement, and which could follow the volumes of the objects.

The inspiration for the "knitting girl" came from the concentration that children have when they play or learn something, very playful but serious and thoughtful.

Black&white is my palette for excellence (sometimes I think I don’t really need other colors).

The making process is very simple: I choose a suitable container to contain my story. And I adapt the story to the container. I take the pencil, the chalk and I draw without planning, without erasing. I look out the window and if it is winter, I let fall some snow flakes in the bowl. If there is any bird I also get them in to my story. Meanwhile, the child continues to knit absorbed  in her own game.

Q7: Do you have any on-going project? What is your next plan?

more books of course!

But I’m also preparing a project for a space, for an exhibition. I can’t say anything about the subject (or the theme?), but the body of work would be made of drawings, works on paper and ceramics. Also I’m thinking to apply to  an art residence!

Q8: Why do you want to be a ceramist? How ceramics affect your life?

The tactile research, the volume and the lack of control during firing have changed the way I make art, draw and think about picture books.

I just introduced a new medium to communicate. But in the end everything is part of the same project.

In fact, I can see how ceramics has many of the same qualities such as humility, intimacy, and universal reach like books and paper.