Interview with Paola Boni
Let me introduce myself: my name is Paola Boni and I was born in Colorno (Parma) where I live and work. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and Commerce, and for years I worked in the family business, until I decided to follow my strongest desire: to work every day with colors. My passion for drawing has been part of my life since I was a child, and thanks to Lesley Harrison’s book “Painting Animals That Touch the Heart”, I fell in love with pastel painting. Being very meticulous in reproducing details, I have thus discovered oil painting as a mean to satisfy my requirements, even if I am constantly looking for new techniques to make my subjects ever more realistic, by experimenting with new tho and three-dimensional possibilities.
I am very active on the international art scene; I have exhibited in solo and group exhibitions as well as in national and international exhibitions in various Italian and foreign cities including: Cannes, Montecarlo, Oviedo, Madrid, Genova, London, Santa Monica (CA), Parma, Pavia, Padova, Milano, Palermo, Brescia, Viterbo, Riccione, Noto, Bologna, Longarone, Forte dei Marmi.
Could you please introduce yourself and tell us how you started in the arts? and your first experience in art making?
I started with pastels and then went to oil and acrylic painting. My first experience in the art market was really exciting. It was my husband who convinced me to exhibit my works and I'm very grateful to him since that wonderful experience launched me into this wonderful, albeit difficult, world of art.
How would you describe yourself and your artwork?
I'm a very curious artist. I always love to get involved, trying my hand at new techniques or themes. In fact, I love both painting and drawing. The art movement that I love most is hyperrealism. In my works, you can see pages of various comics genres. I've included comics in my works because they've been with me since adolescence. By reading comics, as well as when I reproduce them on canvas, I can withdraw from this world that is sometimes difficult to deal with and escape into a world of my own.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Sometimes I get inspiration when I'm in a bookstore browsing through a comic book or while drifting off to sleep. For example, I'd get an idea for a new picture and I'd have to make a note of the idea there and then on my phone so as not to forget it.
What emotions do you hope the viewers experience when looking at your art?
The emotions that I hope to trigger in the audience are joy, serenity and amazement. It really gratifies me to see a smile on people's faces while they admire my works and, through them, relive memories of when they were children or teenagers. I also get great satisfaction when they observe my canvases and ask if they are prints; when I tell them that they are paintings, I see the amazement in their eyes I can't express the happiness I feel. And this encourages me to improvethe precision of my work in the smallest details.
When do you know that an artwork is finished ?
That's a good question. For me, it's always difficult to understand when one of my works is finished. Every time I look at it, I always see something that I could improve even more. I'm very critical about myself. So I rely on my husband's judgement most of the time. If he observes a picture carefully and says there is nothing more to improve, then it's finished.
What has been the most exciting moment in your art career so far?
The most exciting moment was during a group exhibition in Milan many years ago, where I met a renowned Italian critic. I remember it perfectly as if were today, his astonished expression as he observed one of my works. When I introduced myself to him, he complimented me and said: "your future will surely be full of success, congratulations!". It was a great satisfaction and every time I thought of quitting, what the professor said to me that day came back to me and I found the strength to regain confidence in myself.
How long does it take to produce one work?
It depends on the size, the level of difficulty of the subject I want to portray on canvas. Think of this example: a 50x50 cm picture – I would usually take about 25 days to finish it.
What exciting projects are you working on right now? Can you share some of the future plans for your artworks?
These days I'm preparing a series of works for one of my gallery owners who will exhibit in April. Besides that, I'm preparing another series of pictures I'll be presenting to a gallery abroad for which I have a lot of respect and I hope will be interested in my work. I prefer not to mention the name of this gallery. Of course, if it's successful, I'll let you know.
Do you have any upcoming events or exhibitions we should know about?
This year, like last year, will be a year full of art exhibitions and fairs, especially in Italy. I will exhibit in Parma, Vicenza, Pavia and Potenza. I will know about other stages when my gallery owners advise me about them.
Where do you see your art going in five years?
That's an interesting question. I hope I can bring a little joy and make myself known more widely. It might be over the top to think that I'll be well-known everywhere, but if you don't think big, you risk remaining stuck at the first hurdle.
Website: www.paolaboni.eu
