top of page

AS IS | Amalia Russiello

Illustrator

From Napoli, Italy

Based in Napoli, Italy


"The hardest thing is the decision to act, the rest is sheer persistence"




AR: What brought you into art?


A: I don't remember exactly when or what brought me to art, my mother tells me that when I was very little I spent entire days drawing, as an adult I enrolled in university attending art history courses and only after graduating I started drawing regularly. I drew mainly because I couldn't help it, I never thought of a real future in this field.



AR: What inspires you the most?


A: I am by nature a very curious person so anything can inspire me. But I must admit that films and photography have a great influence on me.



AR: Do you have any specific rituals while working(creating)?


A: Yes, I do! Before drawing I need a lot of coffee, then I do research. I believe that research is essential, it stimulates creativity and increases knowledge. By research, I mean browsing art books, seeing exhibitions, consulting interior design magazines, or reviewing movie scenes. I also take a lot of notes, I have a notebook full of ideas from which I take the ideas that I write down. I draw mainly with traditional tools and every time I complete a work I sharpen all the pastels and clean obsessively for fear of dirtying the paper on which I sketch.





AR: What would you recommend to someone new to art (an artist or just an admirer), what to begin with?


A: I think the most important thing is to study. Personally, I managed to realize what I had in mind thanks to the use of technique. I still have a lot to learn but I believe that mastering the tools of your work allows you to make an idea concrete. Alongside studying, you need perseverance and love for what you create. It's difficult at the beginning, especially if you don't have immediate recognition but it's important not to pay attention to the judgment of others. Negative judgment, especially today with social media, is constant, but if you really want to do something artistic then everything else is secondary. Anyone who wants to become an artist must absolutely try, even if it's difficult, and believe that it's possible. The world needs art!



AR: Your top 3 adjectives related to art?


A: Creativity, Freedom, and Escape.




AR: The Perfect phrase to start any conversation about art is:.?


A: I believe that art must start from a good part of creativity, without it it is just craftsmanship. Also, you have to be free in artistic expression, only in this way can you say something that makes a difference, but today I believe it is more difficult than in the past despite the illusion of the contrary. Art can describe reality, give answers, or make your escape. Personally, I really appreciate that kind of art that projects you elsewhere. There is no right angle to look at art, only those in the field must have specific parameters, I am talking about art historians, critics, museologists, etc. For everyone the right angle is the personal one, one's knowledge, one's experience, and subjective sensitivity change the way of seeing and appreciating art and that is right. As an artist it is different, you look at your work with a series of filters that can change over time, even in a day. Sometimes you love what you have created and you look at it with pride, other times you don't feel up to it. I don't think there is a single way to see art and all points of view are valid and right as long as you respect others. I think that to start any good conversation about art you should start by asking what was the last exhibition or gallery you visited. In this way, we can get an idea of the interests of the person in front of us and start a constructive conversation.



AR: Must-read books to talk about art (or do we even need them)?


A: Anyone can talk about art, if that work creates a feeling in the observer the artistic work has accomplished its purpose, you don’t need books for this. If you want to become an art expert you have to study, there are no shortcuts, you can study on your own thanks to the internet, books, and going to exhibitions. But you can't study only art, you have to know history, philosophy and in general mass culture. If you are passionate about a specific genre and you see interesting exhibitions I recommend always buying the exhibition catalog. I love exhibition catalogs, they are well made and the quality of the images is high. I am answering the questions as a person who studied art, not as an artist. I don't feel like an artist, I am an illustrator, a decorator, and a creative, what I do has a high value for me but it is not art.



AR: What would it be if you could change one thing in the art world?


A: In the art world, I would change many things but I will be brief: if many people proclaim themselves artists committed to making art and not copying the past we could have an art that speaks of our time. Also, if more importance was given to emerging artists, those who do not have mass success, thanks to the help of galleries and art critics we could have a breath of fresh air.



AR: Please, share your favorite quote (not necessarily related to art)


A: "The hardest thing is the decision to act, the rest is sheer persistence" – Amelia Earhart


For more: Visit or IG

Yorumlar


bottom of page