Artistic Minds Want To Know

An Interview with Stefano Vitale

Hi Stefano, We are all jealous that you get to live and work in Venice, what is it really like to be an illustrator there?

No reason to be jealous, the good thing about our work is that you can live anywhere you like as long as you have access to electricity and water. Venice has both.

Could you tell us more about your art and design background and what made you

become an artist and designer?

Art Center College of Design tried to make me something but I came out badly and this is how I became an illustrator. I think you become an artist when you talk a lot to yourself instead of talking to other people.

Your work is quite unique, can you tell us where your inspiration comes from?

I would say in general comes from Hispanic catholic imagery that echoed like magic on my italian conditioning. In particular it surely comes from New Mexico, when I saw for the first time in real life the quality of Mexican folk art I understood how I wanted to paint.

What hardware and software are you using?

Not sure I understand this question. I usually use my eyes, hands, paint, brushes and pieces of wood.

How does your job as an artist and designer influence your life? Do you feel that you see things around you differently?

I don't know how other people see things, I assume we all see the same way in our own way. I wouldn't know the difference. I don't believe much in the category of artists as different people, they look to me as accountants or bus drivers who would have wanted to be priests. The one influence I can't deny is that when I work I can shut the world out and that saves a lot of life.

Where would you like to be with your illustration 5 to 10 years from now?

Probably on the Silk Road, hiking the mountains of the Hindu Kush.