Chiara Berrugi shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Chiara, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
Good morning!
Very interesting question to start this interview.
Well…Maybe everything!
I work in illustration and realize that when I talk about my work with people who aren’t my colleagues, the reaction I often get is confused. They look at me as if mine weren’t a real job.
Unfortunately, there have been many times when I have been told, directly or indirectly, that I don’t actually work.
The average person thinks of painting, drawing, or any other artistic discipline as a hobby—in my case, given the professional tools I require, an expensive one.
When I talk to acquaintances about work, their urge is often to try to inflate who they really are. Some of them, boast about skills they don’t actually have, just for the pleasure of appearing important in the eyes of others. When you work in the artistic field, you don’t have this need, because it’s what you create that demonstrates your value. Perhaps it is this honest approach of mine that is interpreted as a form of remission, as if I were ashamed of something. The truth is, I simply have nothing to boast about, since what I do is all there, out in the open.
To put it simply, very often when you say you’re an illustrator, people think of a child scribbling with markers on a sheet of paper and don’t consider the fact that it’s a job that requires many years of study, practice, bureaucracy, and investment. It’s no different from any other job a freelancer does.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an Italian illustrator, born in Pisa.
Thanks to the internet, I can work all over the world, from my studio in Italy.
I specialize in fantasy and sci-fi art.
I prefer works featuring unique characters and animals.
My clients are almost always independent book authors or board game publishers, but I also have private clients who commission a work to keep at home.
I’m quite versatile in the techniques I use; I paint in watercolor, digitally, and create 3D models.
In the future, I’d like to specialize in a field that allows me to focus on character and creature design (which I adore).
I also have a background in scientific studies, and thanks to this, I’m considering starting a personal platform where I can teach naturalistic painting.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Since I was little, I loved drawing and coloring. I didn’t have an easy childhood, and art was (and still is) a lifesaver for me.
It has always been part of me and my ego, but I grew up with the idea that it would be my lifelong hobby, not my job.
Precisely for this reason, during my education I didn’t attend art schools or institutes. I shaped my academic and university career in the scientific field.
Eventually, I became a biological chemical technician.
Even though I was exactly where I’d planned to be, I lived with a sense of emptiness. I realized that my artistic nature could no longer be relegated to a mere hobby, so I embarked on a professional path to obtain a license as a graphic designer.
Although I’ve always seen graphic design as a compromise, looking back, it wasn’t a completely bad choice. It was 2010, and in my country, there was a major job crisis that also affected the scientific sector. My fellow researchers weren’t working, while I was as a graphic designer.
Thanks to that job, I finally earned enough to pay for a two-year course at an art school in Florence.
And here I am, finally doing the job I’ve always dreamed of.
I’m sorry I entered this profession late, but I wouldn’t change a thing about my past choices. It’s been a life journey that has enriched me in many ways, and I’m very proud of my scientific education.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes. At first, almost every day I wondered if it was the right choice. This was partly due to the people around me, who saw me as someone who had given up their career to draw. Then, over time, I learned the ropes and normalized the fact that there are people who do this kind of work and that it’s essential to the entertainment and publishing industries.
Other moments of frustration come when work is scarce, but this is a typical anxiety for all freelancers, whatever their career path.
A widespread anxiety in the art world that’s been felt in recent years, leading many artists to consider abandoning the profession, is caused by AI and its generative art.
I was initially scared, but paradoxically, I’m starting to think it will be an opportunity to reaffirm art in a positive way.
Art is alive thanks to the human being who creates it.
When you buy a painting, the law protects it as a long-term investment; it’s an asset that will increase in value as the artist continues their career. A print of an AI drawing will remain a worthless print.
So, rather than scaring me and making me give up, AI has encouraged me to learn new painting techniques. Thanks to this technology, I’m convinced that human art will regain the value and wonder it had somewhat lost in the public conception.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Is the public version of you the real you?
Generally, I try to be spontaneous. I’ve never been good at lying. I’m one of those people who, the rare times I tell a lie, makes a strange face and gets caught right away. Therefore, it’s easier for me to show myself for who I really am, for better or for worse. Even when it comes to personal opinions on social or political issues, if I feel like it, I’ll express my opinion, even if my views aren’t shared by the masses. Otherwise, I’d rather not say anything at all and not express myself in public. I don’t like colleagues who accept certain ideas just to be more popular. This kind of thing makes me feel dirty.
I prefer to appear unpleasant, but remain honest with myself and my values. After all, they say that those who please everyone ultimately please no one.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. When do you feel most at peace?
In the simplest things:
A silent walk in the woods. Dinner with my husband. Coffee with a friend. Petting my cat and listening to its purr. Shopping with my mother…
When you realize that happiness comes from the simplest things that can happen every day, it doesn’t take much to be happy and enjoy the moment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chiaraberrugi.wixsite.com/artwork
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chiaraberrugiart/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiara-berrugi/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@chiarabeart
Image Credits
Chiara Berrugi
