As part of our collaboration with Something™, this month, we have been shining a spotlight on some of the illustrators involved with interviews about their inspiration, experiences and advice for others in the industry and next up in the series, is the wonderful Bárbara Malagoli, a half Brazilian, half Italian multidisciplinary artist focused on Illustration and Visual Arts, based in London- UK.
What’s currently inspiring your work & message?
The exercise of reinterpreting and revisiting references in a more personal way, merging different subjects to create something new. Looking more inward than outward. Walking towards the future with a piece of emotional baggage from the past, in search of improving and transforming them into a new artistic path.
When did you start creating & why?
I have been drawing since I was a child, inspired by the cartoons I watched and the comics I read.
Since then, drawing was like a hobby and gradually it became the only thing I imagined doing in the future.
I feel fulfilled with the idea of being able to work alone, where I can explore my inner world and contemplate how my drawings are evolving along with my own personal growth. We are the reflection of what we create and vice-versa.
What’s a key part of your creative process?
Silence and some alone time.
I need to force myself to disconnect from the world and distractions to focus on just one project at a time, being able to get lost in that moment so new ideas can emerge from that blank space.
What creative obstacles (professional or personal) do you find yourself facing?
The lack of new stimuli and the blurred vision of an uncertain future. Mental overload and the terrible lockdown/winter combo.
What self-care measures do you take to create balance?
I have a morning ritual where I drink my coffee while playing with my cat until my mug and mind are empty and ready for a new day.
After that, I meditate a little before I start to work. I take breaks to cook my meals calmly and I try to never eat in front of the computer.
We have curated a selection of 25 artists from our community to have their work exhibited within the Something™ Spaces Tab for a month, connecting the artists with new appreciative audiences across the globe. This collaboration features the work of illustrators including AJ Dungo, Helen Li and Micah Lidberg.
You can install Something™ Spaces new browser tab extension here, and be inspired with every new tab.
The full list of artists whose work you can see as part of the collaboration is: AJ Dungo, Avalon Nuovo, Bárbara Malagoli, Bia Melo, Eero Lampinen, Giacomo Agnello Monica, Gizem Vural, Helen Li, Isabel Roxas, Jasjyot Singh Hans, Lisk Feng, Loris Lora, Marcos Chin, Micah Lidberg, Molly Mendoza, Nishant Choksi, Noa Snir, Rômolo D’Hipólito, Sally Deng, Sapo Lendário, Sarah Soh, Tyrell Waiters, Yeji Yun, Yukai Du and Zhang Liang.