“ Can I please have your pen dad?” He always carried one in his shirt pocket. A pen and serviette kept me happily busy for hours during boring dinners with friends and family as a little girl.
Born in Toronto, Canada, our family moved to the majestic city of Rome when I was six. Surrounded by history, beauty and art (lots of art), my passion for creativity was only beginning and one of my favourite outings was to visit dad at work at one of Rome’s finest furniture stores catering for movies stars and the like.This is where I began appreciating art, culture and glamour! I was surrounded by beautiful interiors, homewares and art- heaven! I also witnessed dad’s entrepreneurial spirit as he catered for Rome’s artistic community.
Before moving (again) to Perth, Western Australia, a family friend gave me a beautiful birthday gift, not a doll or a Barbie, but a large hard-cover book named: First Encounter with Art (Primo Incontro con L’Arte). An unlikely gift for a little girl.“ We know one day you will do something great with art!” was the message. I didn’t quite understand it at the time, but I was somehow honored and proud to receive the book. Something resonated with the experience.Drawing was, and still is my passion.
We brought a little bit of Italy with us when we moved to Australia three years later, where dad set up a successful bakery producing the finest Italian bread Australia had ever seen, or tasted.
It was this entrepreneurial spirit, which grew on me, and when going to university and college to study art didn’t satisfy my own entrepreneurial spirit- I set out to pursue my own artistic venture, painting and selling my artwork to clients all over the country. My drawing skills adorned ceramics, tiles (murals and coasters), and fabrics as I happily set about producing some bright and colourful pieces for a growing clientele Australia wide.
My heritage influenced my work greatly. The ceramics were painted in my version of “Tuscany” designs. The murals depicted fountains, italian buildings and the like.
Then my life in multicultural Australia influenced my work. As did my very own spiritual awakening.
My collection of “International Tribal Ladies” as I named them, was a series of 4 happy, ambitious , hard working ladies lovingly, diligently and proudly going about their chores with panache, no matter how mundane – they appreciated life, and lived it to the fullest. A lot of people asked “ What nationality are they?” and I always replied “ What ever you want them to be!” Brazilian? Hawaiian? Italian? I see the world as one big family. Cultures should not divide. They just add to the richness of this Divine Interpretation we call life.
Today, I am continuing my tradition of proudly, ambitiously, and lovingly living life to the fullest, "Following my Bliss" - this being the main idea behind my illustrations- to inspire the viewer to do the same. When I receive beautiful messages from happy clients saying they feel good in the presence of my work, my job is complete.
Love and light,
Patrizia xx
