Giada Raucci

Art & Expression

Hi guys, in this post for Art & Expression column I want to talk you about a great illustrator I've recently discovered: she's Giada Raucci, an amazing italian artist. Her works are so incredibly glamorous and cool that I've immediately felt in love with them and it's a pleasure to present her to all of you through the little interview she did for Ladyfairy's closet.

Tell us about you.

My name is Giada Raucci and I'm an illustrator, basically a fashion illustrator, but I delight myself in several areas. I love to draw, I love colors and what fascinates me the most about my job is the ability to capture the essence of a subject in a few strokes.

When did you approach to art?
Actually when I was very young: my father used to collaborate with a magazine that dealt with comics and every day, after school, he brought me with him and gave me paper, pencil and rubber; the rest of the environment was enough to stimulate me creatively.

  
What does stimulate creatively?

Practically everything! But what often takes the upper is the magic world of fashion, made of lights, shapes and colors.

If you should describe yourself in three words, what would they be?
Ceative, practical and organized.

There's a character/reference in art world that you particularly esteem and appreciate? And why?

The world of art is immense: many artists inspired and gave me food for thoughs. The artistic movements that represent me more are impressionism and surrealism. While when it comes to fashion illustrations David Downton.

The artist or artists who inspire you the most.
Everyone my eyes can see! I can say a name or 10, but they will never be all. Eyes are made to see and mind and heart to to remeber and keep, so all the exhibitions I've seen, all the paintings I've studied and all the artists I've loved (or not) have left their mark. All this signs help to form my "stretch".

How would you describe your style?

My style is my perception of the world: is romantic and refined. It's characterized by soft lines, always curved and vibrant, But very important is also the role of color: never flat, always in motion.

Stefano Benni says that "art is escape from normalcy that wants to eat you". What art is to you? And what kind of relationship do you have with it?

Yes, maybe it's a sort of escape, because while I draw I lost myself a little... but to me is, above all, contemporary and human expression of the period in which we live.

Your secret artistic wish?

 My artistic wish is to keep doing what I love with less fears and internal criticism.

On what are you working right now?
I'm doing several thing at once: I'm drawing some garments of a new line for a fashion brand, I'm also working on a new series of works called "Animal portraits" and I'm experimencingthe large size for my fashion  illustrations, so I can exhibit them.

In a moment in which many artists experiment digital art you works stay faithful to the use of watercolors keeping a refinement and a naturalness in a truly enviable features. What is the secret?

The "secret" may be experiencing more technicals and materials with which express themselves... during my training I learned that beofre realize the potential of a tool, you need to use it to consume it, using it in the rectory way, then distroy the "correct" way, distorting it, using it "wrongly". That's only way to get to the final result. In any case, new means to develop digital art are very interesting and useful; simply use it or not, depending on needs and requirements.

  
Your illustrations are a true ode to female universe. How do you live your being woman and what relationship do you have with your femininity?

This is a very complex question, but I'll try to be brief: I believe that every woman has lived or live in some sort of conflitct with herself or with other women. Speaking for myself, I tend to be very self-critical and it happens that this attitude cecome distructive, but despite this I'm very grateful to be a woman, because different aspects and contrasts blend together to create a wonderful and mysterious creature, capable of doing absolute good yet ultimate evil. There's a fascnation in the female figure and I try to capture it especially in its eyes.

What is the though behind your artworks?

It depends on the works. Some of my paintings are very well researched and hide inside them very ancient philosophical systems. As for my illustrations, however, I wouldn't talk about "though" but emotions and feelings, that I try to express.

There's one or more works do you love the most? And why?

I'm very fond of my first works, my first paintings,  but I tend to not show them. There's a special bond of love-hate and expose them would be like exposing the most intimate part of myself, so I do not do it willingly.

Tell us about the creative process behind your creations.

Usually the basic idea of a workcomes from spontaneous insights at times when you least expect; you can be inspired by philosophy, a book, a song, a picture... insight is already to me a rapresentation of what I'm going to accomplish, the rest comes by itself.

There's a particular place (city or museum) in which you'd like to expose your works?
I'd like to be able to expose my paintings in a large size in conjunction with fashion events, like for example during the presentation of a collection... it would be great to be eble to embody the spirit and the mind of the designer in a few strokes. 

Future projects.
For futeure I have many projects, but currently dream of being able to draw for the most important fashion brands and mybe expose my works during the presentation of a collection.

My blog is basically focused on fashion. What fashion means to you? And how do you relate with it? 
To me fashion is a chance of expression: I don't see fashion as an imposition, but as a chance to play with fabrics and color to understand what represents us and makes us feel good. There's no rules, everyone make their own ones and is free to propose their idea of beauty. This last concept is maybe too powerful, but starting to attend fashion industry itself, I realize that everything is subjective and, what are "good taste rules" that parents teach us since we're young and that are repeat by family and friends, are ignored if not distorted by those who work in this environment. Besides, that's how it works in all other fields: even in literature, a poet can distort the rules of syntax and be justified by the "poetic license", while if this same rules are not follwed by someone who's not a poet, he's corrected.

A quote or a motto that really defines you.

"Learn to... be what you are, and learn to resign with a good grace all that you are not" (Henri Frédéric Amiel)


A truthful advice from a young artist to a young artist: what's the main ingredient?

Surely the perseverance and commitment are the key elements; you need to be always updated on the news, on new methods of expression. Simply, just believe it: believe in youselves and in what you do, believe in your skills, believe in your work, if you don't believe in yourself in first place, why sould anyone consider you and invest in your account?

What is, in your opinion, the first step to do in art world?

Actually, everyone chooses their paths, art world is so wide and articulated that I dont think there are required steps. In every way, I'd consider the "exposing" to other people and exhibit your works, as first step.

A greeting to the readers of Ladyfairy's closet.  
Express yourselves! With each tool, in every way, but give vent to the creative part there's inside each of us. That will help you to understand who you really are, to be be more relaxed and in touch with the inner child kick inside each of usto be heard! Hug!

If you want to know moe about this amazingly talented artist found her on her webiste giadaraucci.wordrpress.com, on Instagram, Facebbok and Twitter.

 I hope you enjoyed her works as much as I did. 

I see you next time!