life is crafty......the surface pattern design blog: Artist Showcase-18.... Silvia Raga

Saturday, November 30, 2013

Artist Showcase-18.... Silvia Raga

Hello dear friends,

Today I would like to introduce a wonderful paper-cut artist--- Silvia Raga.

Silvia was an illustrator of textbooks and fictionbooks for children for over 10 years. She is now working as an illustrator, graphic designer, crafter, papercut artist. She is a self-taught photographer too! She is based in Italy. In her very own words,'' I love nature, crafting, fun, friendship and, of course, paper...''

A peak into her life and work, and some secret tips about her fabulous paper-cut techniques too...
Enjoy !

How would you describe yourself ?
This question always makes me a smile ... I like not to take myself too seriously!
I am optimistic, positive ... I like to dream, but I can also be concrete. I'm curious, and I love to learn and learn new things.

What do you like to do when you are not doing any new project ?
When not working I like to browse and read books, cooking, make sweets with my kids or spending time with them outdoors, take care of my plants, walking with my husband .
I like traveling and getting lost in the streets of a city.

Describe your style ?
My style .. is a bit difficult to define, because I like many things, often conflicting with each other ...! Then I would call an eclectic style! I have a very infantile side, is the most colorful and tender, which translates with simple and synthetic shapes. I have a very feminine and hyper decorative side... I'm always searching for my style, to try to blend in an image all of these aspects of my personality.

What's your favorite color ?
I love the colors and I like different colors ... Maybe alternate depending on my mood or the change of seasons! So now I like the combination of white-grey-pink-orange ... But I also love aqua, emerald green next to the lime green! And as if the color would send me an emotion, so I choose my colors also based on the feeling that I want to try looking at a picture!

When did you get the idea that 'paper cutting' was the thing you love ?
The paper I've always liked ... I love all that is paper: magazines, books, stationery, greeting cards, wrapping paper ... When I was a child I loved to cut, paste and draw. I have cultivated this passion in school and then in the work by children illustrator, but mainly done digitally.
So, after so many years I felt a strong need to re-use the hands, to make a drawing that I could touched with the fingers ... Through the internet I have met many artists who use paper as a medium, and I quickly realized that for me that was the way to go! I was very fascinated by paper cutting, by its elegance, and I thought: "I want to make these wonders!"
And so I started!

Anything you want to share to your readers about setting up his/her own business ?
Work on their own has many positive aspects, including flexibility, and the ability to carry out new projects ... However, it is also important to set rules! For example, to better organize the time, devote a part in the promotion of what you do, set goals to be achieved, however, always be critical of their own work without mortification.
Be patient and above all, be yourself!

Who is your dream client ?
I do not have a name of a specific client with whom I want to work ... But my dream would be to illustrate a book with paper cutting!

Tell us a bit about your biggest challenge in your career, and the way you handled it ?
The biggest challenge of my career was to leave for a year my profession illustrator of children to start from scratch with something new and never before experienced. Some days my thought was: "Why did I do, will do some good all this?" And I felt a little crazy for leaving my secure job for something so uncertain. I worked a lot and I still needed to reach my goals, but in the meantime now I know what makes me happy!

Your greatest inspiration is ?
My greatest inspiration is nature, always! Pattern of leaves, berries, organic shapes, flowers! Aww, the flowers, I love them so much!

How would you describe your work place ..?
My workspace is a small room with a large table and a wall full of books! I like the order, but when I work I find myself inundated with cardboards and sheets of various kinds ... To which are added the designs of my children!
It 's a space full of objects, memories, is a place for me essential.