“Art is the biggest love of my life, the one that will never die.” - Georgiana Chitac
Born in Constanta but living in Bucharest for over 14 years is Romanian illustrator Georgiana Chitac.
Her work has caught the attention of millions worldwide with Windows featuring some of her art as a theme option. The thirty ‘something’ wife mom and artist, started drawing when she was ten years old. The first thing she ever drew was a geranium.
There was period of time when Georgiana disconnected herself from art and pursued more mainstream jobs. She realized she couldn’t be happy without it and returned to it soon enough. Although she has had formal training in art, everything about illustration and children’s book illustration is self taught.
She’s hopeful that someday soon enough she can take a masters course in children’s book illustration in Italy. Georgiana describes herself as “Paradoxical. Full of contradictions.” And her work welcomes you to a whimsical world of colour, dream and story.
Do you think art is an imitation of life or…?
I don’t feel it like an imitation of life; I perceive it more like an extension of life.
Why and how did you get in to art?
I was born to a family of economists. One day when I was ten I said to them that I want to study art. They said ok and no matter how many times I tried to abandon art, art had never given up on me.
What’s the best advice given to you as an artist?
“There is no precocity in art” – by my 9th grade painting teacher. Although, I truly understood its meaning about fifteen years later.
Is criticism a good thing or bad?
There is such a thin line between good criticism and bad criticism. Depends on so many things like your mood, how you’re used to taking it or how entitle is the person who makes the criticism to do so.
Any particular medium you favor?
No, I always liked mixing things.
What is your creative process like?
Painful sometimes. Exhausting most times. But I can’t live without it and it is what assures my happiness on a very deep level.
How has your style changed over the years?
Over the years? Dramatically. Over the last few years since I started illustrating? It evolved. It still evolves and I hope it will constantly continue to do so.
How do you feel about your own work?
Let’s say that there are some moments when I am pleased with it.
Your favorite piece from all your illustrations?
“Sophie’s Choice”. Or maybe “Fall. Falling”.
Experience/s in life that you feel that have affected or affects your work?
Every breath I take affects my work but all the changes came naturally.
Challenges you have faced or face as an artist?
Making a living exclusively out of your art is a constant challenge for most artists but the biggest challenge for me to overcome was myself.
What kind of ideas and things are you working on at the moment?
For a year or so I worked almost exclusively on children’s books. Now I’m working on my fifth. There will be a sixth and a seventh. Then I will see. Next year I intend to work for a new exhibition and I am still gathering ideas for that.
Favorite Artist/s contemporary or otherwise?
For many years it has been Van Gogh. Now is Modigliani. As for illustrators, there’s a whole bunch of them. I have a board on Pinterest called “Inspiring Illustrations”. When I find someone I like I put some of his illustrations there. Some of them are my colleagues in Illustrators Club which I am proud to be part of since last year.
What do you do when you’re not creating art?
There is not much time left for me when I stop working and I probably do what everybody else does: reading, going out, watching movies, cooking, kissing my daughter and so on…
Interview by Shazzana Hamid
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