Artist in conversation: VF
“ Drawing is my therapy, my way of processing all my feelings and emotions.”
VF is a 25-year-old Portuguese artist who has spent her entire life in Switzerland. Quiet and reserved by nature, she often finds it difficult to express her emotions through words. For her, drawing has become a vital outlet—a therapeutic way to process and convey the feelings she experiences. Through her artwork, she channels her inner world, creating pieces that reflect her emotions and life experiences. In 2023, she had the opportunity to showcase her work at the Pashmin Art Gallery in Hamburg, a significant milestone in her artistic journey. Now, she is eager to find new opportunities to share her art with a broader audience, continuing to use her drawings as a powerful means of expression.
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What initially inspired you to become an artist, and how did you develop your unique style?
My life and my feelings are my greatest inspiration. I discovered drawing during one of many difficult periods in my life. Drawing was and is the best way for me to express myself. I don't have to speak or explain anything. On a piece of paper with a pencil I can let my feelings flow and process different thoughts.
Do you have any rituals or routines that help you get into a creative mindset when starting a new project?
I draw what I'm feeling at the moment or what I need to process at the moment. I get a lot of inspiration from music and also from events in my current life or from previous events. Being alone in nature and listening to music are the best ways to create new projects.
How does drawing help you express your feelings and serve as therapy for you?
Yes. Drawing is my therapy, my way of processing all my feelings and emotions.
Can you describe your artistic process? What materials and techniques do you prefer to use?
I have an idea in my head. An idea of what my picture should look like, what I want to put in it. Then I start drawing and usually the ideas for patterns, animals and landscapes come in the creation process.It's a completely natural process for me. It just happens. I draw always with pencils, mostly black.
Looking back over your career, is there a particular piece or project that stands out as a turning point for you? Why?
I only recently decided to present my art publicly. My pictures are such a reflection of me parts of my life and my feelings, so it wasn't easy for me. So far I have only had one exhibition at the Pashmin Art Gallery in Hamburg. The fact that people looked at my drawings and were excited was an extraordinary feeling for me. And now I'm looking forward to everything that's to come.
How do you incorporate feedback from critics and audiences into your artistic practice, and how do you balance this feedback with your own artistic intuition?
I welcome any criticism. It's beautiful what others see or feel in my drawings. Through the texts in my pictures the observer can perhaps understand my feelings better and yet I like to hear the interpretations of other art enthusiasts. People also inspire me to look for other perspectives, so my drawings become richer and more special through external criticism or feedback
How do you stay motivated and inspired despite any setbacks or creative blocks you may encounter?
I love drawing. It makes me feel so good... of course there are days when I'm not inspired, or the pencil doesn't flow the way I want it to. And yet, sign is like a valve for my emotions and they come every day. I also have the feeling that I have and will have endless inspiration for my art in the past and in new life situations.
How do you feel about exhibiting your artworks with The Holy Art Gallery?
I am incredibly happy, it is an honor to be part of this exhibition. This is a great opportunity for me to present my work in London. I am really grateful for this opportunity.
Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals and aspirations as an artist, and how do you plan to achieve them?
I will definitely continue to expose my work in different countries and galleries so that more people get to know my art. And I hope to make contacts so that many other doors open for me as an artist.
What role does emotion play in your creative process, and and how do you aim to evoke specific feelings or reactions from those who view your artworks?
Emotions are the main component of my drawings. The viewer should also be able to feel and understand the emotions. Through the song lyrics and also the different animals or the special landscapes or flora it is easier to understand certain feelings. But everyone is in a certain life situation or emotional state and I think my pictures are also a mirror of the human psyche, the infinite number of emotions and feelings that can be inside a person. I think my drawings fit very well into our community, which doesn't like to show emotions, but feels them.
