From Engineering to Water Colors: Giulia Clerici’s path to her own authentic self.
Giulia Clerici
Illustrator Spotlight
Q: Who is Giulia Clerici?
My name is Giulia Clerici and I am an illustrator.
I mainly deal with food illustration by creating images for packaging, menus, brochures and everything that is part of a company's visual identity; I am also the creator of “Ricette Disegnate” a series of illustrated recipes I make for private customers as well. You can also find on my website.
I have a personal passion for children illustrations I currently create on a one-of-a-kind basis.
I am an electronic engineer and I do not have an academic artistic background and before dedicating my life to arts I spent almost 12 years working for multinational companies operating in the energy sector, dealing with trading and portfolio management. Arts though are part of my family: creativity, painting and experimentation have always fascinated me through passion and technique taught by my painter mother and infused by my grandfather sculptor whom I got to know through his exceptional artworks.
Q: What is your definition of Authenticity?
I believe that authenticity comes after a tortuous, and sometimes painful path to reach self-awareness: it is finding out personal mission and direction not distorted or influenced by the context, being it social or cultural. Several years ago, when I was in high school, I read a phrase that Nietzsche wrote in "The gay science" that accompany me since then: "What does your conscience say? You must become who you are. " Become yourself: this is being authentic to me.
Q: “Your Heart” is our first cover: what do watercolor and this heart mean to you?
I love to paint with watercolors: there is a sense of lightness and freedom that comes from the water and spreads on the sheet. It is also unpredictable thus fascinating: you must be ready to accept that not everything can be governed, that the situation is not under our precise control. It is also what I try to teach in my watercolor courses: learning to let go is often a much bigger obstacle than learning the technique itself!
Q: How did this version of such an important symbol came along?
For me, the heart represents instinct, the inner voice that often does not agree with my rational part. But it is not a clear nor linear voice; it is made up of hesitations, decisions, second thoughts and explosions. This is what I tried to represent with my watercolors.
Fashion & Luxury Culture Department Coordinator
ANGELA BIANCHI
Q. The luxury of being able to follow your heart and make room for dreams: you changed your career to to be true to yourself: what were the most difficult moments and which instead gave you the boost to go on?
The most difficult moments were those that made me think I could not do it, that I had jumped into the void without a parachute. But then come the positive feedbacks from my customers, that my joy has become their joy: it this is all that matters.
Q: Plans for the Future?
I'm making a book of designed recipes, a sort of celebration of the kitchen as a vehicle of emotions, traditions and memories. Then I am expanding my collaborations with communication agencies starting of course from the food sector. Last but not least: I am preparing sets of wedding announcements, for now linked to specific locations but soon also completely customized.
Q: What advice do you have for those who want to develop a career in arts?
I recommend what I would recommend to anyone, regardless the type of job: find something you are passionate about. Because personal goals over the years may change, ambition may no longer be
