Lucila Perini

Lucila, can you recall the first time you realized you were going to be an illustrator? What were your earliest impressions?
I don’t remember an exact moment, but I do remember when I was a girl looking at magazines and books and dreaming of designing them. I always knew that I was going to be an artist but it was as an adult that I discovered illustration and was absolutely fascinated with its possibilities and the creative breadth it allows.

Who or what influenced your art when you were young?
Definitely Latin American art. When I was a child, I would go for a walk with my mother to the museum of fine arts every week and spend hours looking at the same paintings. I had a deep admiration for Frida Kahlo, her paintings and her history.

Do you remember what your first artwork looked like? Do you still have it?
I couldn’t say which was the first, I have the feeling that I have been drawing since I was born. But I’m also very relaxed with my production, I really enjoy the process and I try to stay with that experience and not with the final result.

Why did you choose illustration as your life’s work instead of, for example, filmmaking, law, or even medicine?
I do study medicine for a few years! But I quickly realized that it wasn’t my thing. I didn’t want drawing and art to be just a hobby in my life, I needed it to be part of my profession and my everyday.

Where does your inspiration come from; your impulse to make art? Do you have a source for your ideas?
That’s a good question! I think there are many sources of inspiration. The everyday and observation are the most important for me, all day I am observing people, plants, taking photos. An idea can really be hidden anywhere. I also really enjoy seeing the work of other artists, art and design books, reading or listen to interviews about their creation processes, that keeps me truly motivated.

How would you describe the process of creating art?
This is an interesting question, given that creating art is generally not the same as illustrating. Even though they are clearly associated and nurturing each other, when I do personal work the process is very different. Creating art is a very sensitive process, of a personal and intimate exploration, where you are exposing your interests to the world, finding colors that move you or convey what you are feeling. When I illustrate all this appears, but the client and his message are also very important. I want them to feel represented and that we connect in the way of expressing an idea.

Do you have a favourite artist? What is it about that artist’s work you like?
I have a lot. I am really interested in the role of women in art throughout history. Tracey Emin is a great artistic reference of the feminism that I love, her connection with her work is very sensitive and crude. Also the work of Maira Kalman with the color and the narrative of her illustrations.

Do you remember your first set of paints, pens, or markers?
Honestly I always worked with very basic materials, but I remember on my first trip to New York, that the second day after arriving I spent the whole morning at Pearl Paint, I think I was in there for 3 hours at least. I ended up buying some giant gold pastel oils and some very eccentric materials that I never used. But it was a magic moment.

Why does art matter to you? Why might it matter to the world?
I believe that art is essential in everyone’s life, whatever its form. It is a place to explore, to play and to express feelings or emotions that perhaps we cannot say otherwise. It leads us to self-knowledge and to connect with our most sensitive side. Even in the simple act of listening to a song or seeing a painting, we can be moved.

If you could look back or forward 100 years, do you think the life of an artist was or will be better than today?
I believe that art is constantly changing and as social crises or ecological disasters appear, art is there to give us a break, to open our eyes or to accompany us. I do believe that over time there is a greater democratization of art and a more horizontal access, and that is always good.