Pumped with enthusiasm for this prize, I moved to Krafeld with Andrea and Fabio, my travel mates. We’d already been there two years ago, for the Wood Art Gallery, when we lived and worked in a wood.
This time we had to contribute on the urban requalification project of the river neighbourhood, which involved 16 artists from 8 different nations to work side by side.
I chose no predefined subject and arrived with free heart, allowing the place to send me messages… and so it happened! After a moment of wavering, I’ve been flashed by a building, or better saying, by one of its sides, which hosted a balcony and a folding door in the middle.
The brainwave led me to a lantern for fairies and fireflies!!
Again, weather hinder us a quite a lot, but luckily, I had to set up the project development and preparation first, so that time was not wasted but well spent!!I prepared two projects, as I still didn’t know with which type of scaffolding I would be provided.According to first project the lantern would settle on a wrought-iron tripod, in the second project it would be placed on two hands. Final choice went on second project!
We worked from 6 am till 9 pm: any moment was helpful and we were all tired but very satisfied. I’ve been able to finish before the actual deadline and therefore I managed to realize a second small piece of work.
I wanted to pay tribute to Bian Froud, an English illustrator, who I always loved and worshipped; he’s probably been the first fantasy illustrator who never charmed me!Based on one of his illustrations, I modified colours and added some butterflies, in order to transform the character in the Witch of Butterflies, a sort of wood spirit or nymph.
…and now I’m back home, with a joyful heart and an incredible will to keep on drawing and drawing!!
I wish to thank all those people who made this trip possible!!
Thanks to my husband, who knows how these experiences make me feel good and always supports me; thanks to my friends; thanks to the wonderful family of artists, which in the last years has been growing and strengthened; thanks to Frederike Fredda Wouters who helped and supported all of us, by organizing a wonderful event in Krefeld, which has now become the Rhine Side Gallery; thanks to the sponsors; thanks to the city of Krefeld which welcomed us; thanks to Mary Kudasheva to work side by side with me, so that our paintings mixed together with flying fireflies; thanks to Anat Ronen, who beard my poor English for several days, but probably liked it as he dragged our conversations for hours and hours!!
A big thanks to all those helped and supported me.