Never-ending stories

What pieces or projects have you been working on lately?
I’m currently working on a series titled “Lovers” and a cycle of drawings called “Never-Ending Stories”. Both are ongoing projects that explore human relationships—between lovers and close friends who share their secrets with one another.

What did you learn (or unlearn) while working on them?
Every time, I realize that the creative process is endless—you can never get enough of it, and the possibilities for expressing an idea are limitless.

What words, ideas or emotions were going through your head?
Time, fragility, dreaminess, detachment, euphoria.

Were there any conversations, movies, music, or books that made their way into that work?
The canvas “Small Lovers” was inspired by Pier Paolo Pasolini’s film “Decameron”, and “That Should Stay Between Us” comes from a phrase I heard during a conversation just before creating the work. I think music also finds its way into my works. When I draw I often listen to classics and French chanson.

What's been the most difficult thing you've faced recently in your creative process?
I never seem to have enough time.

What is your favorite coffee shop and why do you like going there?
It’s actually my kitchen. I’m a big coffee lover and enjoy the whole process—from grinding the beans to brewing them directly in my favorite mug. It’s the first and the most important ritual of my day.

If your life were a movie this month, what would it be called and who would write the soundtrack?
I would borrow the title from my recent painting “Cherry Blossom Time”, and the soundtrack would be something by Chopin.

Which studios, laboratories, or workshops have you collaborated with recently or would you like to collaborate with in the future?
I collaborate with educational institutions and am generally open to new interesting partnerships.

Recommend one or more artists you follow who inspire you, and tell us what you like most about their work or their way of working.
There are so many interesting artists out there that naming specific ones would inevitably mean excluding others. I usually discover new artworks through curated platforms, galleries, and art magazines—like yours. When it comes to inspiration, my approach is more fragmentary: I’m drawn to particular elements across different artworks—one artist’s colour palette, another’s brushwork, a third’s sense of form, a fourth’s scale, and so on. When I need a fresh burst of energy, I turn to the classics.