Cecile Giovanni is one of my favorite artists and together we created one of my favorite collections yet - the Wild West Collection.
Read on below to learn more about the inspiring artist behind these designs, her design process, and what inspires her.
Thank you for being such a muse Cecile!
Welcome to the club. <3
Tell us about how you got started as a graphic designer? When and where was the “ah-ha!” moment?
I'm a painter and illustrator. When I was a little girl I enjoyed looking at advertisings, fashion drawings in magazines or biscuit boxes covered with beautiful illustrations.
Growing up, I then understood why all these images fascinated me: they make the daily life more magical!
I like collaborating with people, exchanging our ideas, and at the end seeing the finished "product". Painting is a more introspective and solitary act, while illustration it's the very opposite! For me these two art mediums are totally complementary. Personally, I find both perspectives necessary for my balance.
My whole childhood I had been waiting to enter an art school. At sixteen, my mom sent me to a Fine Arts school where I studied illustration, graphic design, comics and painting.
I was then able to begin my career, working for instance with galleries or collaborating with musicians for their album cover.
You have created your own, strong, amazing aesthetic and style – what inspired you along the way? Any words of wisdom for all artists out there who are still finding their own style?
I'm very inspired by literature, movies and design. The shapes and the simplicity of the art deco period is also a great source of inspiration. I also like the 60's aesthetic and fashion.
Frida Kahlo, Henri Rousseau, René Magritte, Cassandre and Edward Hopper are some of my favorite artists.
Never have certainties, always be true to yourself and work hard are the most important “words of wisdom” according to me. However, I think we never stop learning as artists and that's the best part of the job.
What about graphic design first interested you?
When I was little, all these graphic designs made me dream so I just wanted to make people dream too.
What have been some of your favorite projects and why?
Making design for A.M Club of course! Making scarves was one of my wish!
But really, jewellery, music, magazines, and all the projects I worked on were inspiring and challenging.
Any movies, books or people that have inspired you?
Movies: Lost River, Arizona Dream, The Royal Tenebaum, The King and the Mockingbird and ... many more!
Books: The World According to Garp by John Irving, The Brave by Gregory Mcdonald, I Split on Your Graves by Boris Vian and Ghost World by Daniel Clowes
How do you stay inspired and creatively charged?
By being curious of everything.
What other passions do you have?
I like cooking traditional Italian food!
What is the best advice you’ve ever received from a mentor or colleague?
If your first lines are bad or you feel weird with them, don't be afraid to throw your paper away.
What’s the first thing you do every morning?
Taking a good breakfast on my terrace and enjoying the sun before going to my studio!
Dream or next travel destination? Previous favorite?
My next travel destination is Atrani, a small town next to Napoli in Southern Italy. My dream travel would be to catch the Orient Express train or to travel on a cargo ship to the US.
Top 3 favorite Instagram accounts?
-Elsa Schiaparelli
-blckcrckr —-> on of my best friend a great poet, musician and contemporary artist
-Isakinparis
You can follow Cecile
on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/cecilegiovannini/
or visit her website here: http://cecile-giovannini.com/