Vincent van Gogh (1853–1890) was one of the greatest of the post-Impressionist painters and is one of the artists whose work graces our covers. To celebrate the 170th anniversary of his birth, we held a special giveaway contest in his honour and gifted two lucky winners with a selection of products from our Van Gogh’s Irises series.
For this contest, the participants had to recreate a piece of Van Gogh’s art in their own style, and then the Paperblanks community voted on our Instagram stories. From the many amazing entries, Alessandra De Santis and Liona Demir were the top vote-getters, with the final result being so close that we made them co-winners. Read on to learn more about them and their creative journeys!
Alessandra De Santis @freedom_toexpress_oneself
Alessandra is an artist from Vasto, Italy. She went to high school at the local art school and then went on to attend the Academy of Fine Arts in Macerata, graduating in 2020 with top marks.
For the past three years she has been publishing her works on her Instagram page @freedom_toexpress_oneself, putting a part of herself into each work and exploring new ideas.
1. How did you discover your love for what you do?
Everything I do takes time, from paintings, necklaces and wooden jewelry boxes that require the use of pyrography, a self-taught technique that allows me to engrave many different objects, up to hand-painted garments, and even bookbinding with a technique I learned during my studies.
I like to move between using brushes and using pyrography.
2. Has anyone or anything in particular inspired your creativity and artistic passion?
Ever since I was a child, I have had a passion for art that comes from the love transmitted to me by my mother, who from an early age loved to keep me and my sister entertained with handmade projects and making hand-sewn rag dolls (pigotta) for charity.
3. Where do you find inspiration?
My greatest inspiration for my creativity and passion is artists such as Van Gogh, Michelangelo, Renoir, Monet, Caravaggio and many others, who all inspired my work during my studies at the Academy.
When it comes to my handmade work, such as necklaces, garments or works painted in oil, I find inspiration looking at the masterworks of the greats – in this case Van Gogh, who with his art manages to excite me and at the same time allows me to enter his magical world, made not only of suffering but also of beauty.
4. Why did you choose Paperblanks products?
For years I have been using Paperblanks planners, especially during my university years. I would always get lost in bookstores among all the beautiful covers.
5. Any advice you would like to share with aspiring artists?
A piece of advice that I would like to share with aspiring artists is to always follow their dreams and passions and to always believe in them, because in the end something will always happen that will be worthwhile.
Liona Demir @lionasartdiaries
Liona is a self-taught artist and a trainee as an industrial clerk from Paderborn, Germany. She loves drawing with pencil, ballpoint pens and coloured pencils, but she is always trying out new techniques like oil pastels and watercolours.
1. How did you discover your love for what you do?
There was just this moment, I don’t even know when or where – I just knew I couldn’t stop making art. This need to say something and reach people through art. When I’m drawing I forget everything and can express all my feelings through what I create.
2. Has anyone or anything in particular inspired your creativity and artistic passion?
As a child I loved to watch my brother draw for school, which made me want to try it myself. That’s where my journey started, and even now I’m inspired by many other people who have come into my life.
3. Where do you find inspiration?
Every day you can discover inspiration in small details. Of course, meeting amazing artists on social media and all the interactions between individuals is a form of art itself.
4. Why did you choose a Paperblanks journal?
I always enjoy seeing the Paperblanks journals in my local bookstore in town and really love their high-quality paper for sketching, and of course the aesthetically pleasing covers fully made of art, which make me want to create more.
5. Any advice you would like to share with aspiring artists?
When you try to make things perfect you will focus only on the flaws and mistakes. Take a step back sometimes and look at what you’re creating or even take a picture – change your perspective. You can start new, go on, draw over it… there are no rules or limits on what you pictured in your mind, to the process of creating it.
Thank you Alessandra and Liona for sharing your work with us!
