Isabella Cotier

Isabella, how would you define your stylistic hallmark?

I find describing my own style tricky. I like to always feel like I can mix it up and experiment with new processes. At the moment, what I'm consistently trying to achieve is a sense of freedom, energy and looseness.

That being said, when did you realize you wanted to pursue a career in the arts?

I was doing a degree in ‘Pattern Cutting’ and a teacher noticed one of my sketchbooks. She suggested that I consider transferring to do an Illustration degree. I never really knew illustration was an option for a career. I transferred immediately and started working freelance within the first year of studying, which was very exciting for me at the time.

You grew up in Florence, but you now live in London. Have you ever thought about moving back to Florence? What do you miss the most about Italy?

Florence is certainly where my heart is. I miss the warmth of the people and the relaxed attitude towards life. It’s a very peaceful place for me. I think about moving back often, but for now London is where I feel motivated. The energy of the city keeps me inspired and excited.

Going off this, who’s the ideal subject of your artworks?

The characters I’m drawn to tend to be everyday people that aren’t afraid to be different, the people that are comfortable in their own skin. That being said, what draws me to people is always changing.

As we said earlier, you live in London. How would you describe its art scene?

There isn’t really ‘one’ art scene to describe in London, there are many! This is what’s great about it: endless amounts of inspiration. There are the incredible graduate shows, the independent galleries, the commercial galleries, museums…there’s just so much going on!

In such a bustling city, what do you do to chill out?

Visiting museums is what I like to do often. Some museums, like the Wallace collection, can be great places where to collect your thoughts. Otherwise, I like to rummage through car boot sale markets.

You collaborated with luxury brand Gucci on a collection of T-shirts and tote bags, portraying Florence’s people. Can you tell me something about Flora, one of the characters featured in this exclusive collaboration?

Flora is a woman I saw in a Café in Santo Spirito. She was wearing a beret hat and a massive fur coat. I was told she liked to dance alone in the café sometimes. After enquiring more about her, I found out she was a retired ballerina. She’s the person who inspired my series of eccentric characters for Gucci.

Going back to my first questions, how did you develop your style?

I’ve disciplined myself to life draw as much as possible. There’s always so much to learn with drawing from observation. Also, I do courses whenever I have the time. Drawing, to me, is a continuous learning process and the way a style develops is through exploring the process as much as possible.

One of the main elements of your creative vision is colour, do you have a favourite colour palette?

I’m drawn to the colour palettes of painters like Chantal Joffe, Sanya Kantarovski, Craigie Aitchison and many more!

British designer Vivienne Westwood once said: ‘I don’t notice anybody unless they look great, and every now and again they do, and they are usually 70’. Do you agree with her? When it comes to fashion, what are your main sources of inspiration?

A person can catch my eye for many different reasons. They can be an incredible storyteller, have an interesting posture, or an unusual voice. It’s rarely just about what somebody wears.

How often do you experience the so-called ‘writer’s block’? And how do you overcome it?

When I was starting out, I experienced the writer’s block quite often. You really have to develop strategies to dodge these scary moments. For example, if I have loads of commercial work, I now make sure I’m working on new personal projects on the side. It helps me to stay excited and challenged. Anyhow, it’s also important for me to remind myself to take a step back sometimes.

Italian journalist and illustrator Leo Longanesi once said: ’Art is a call to which too many who have not been called respond’. What do you think about this?

If creating art brings joy to people, then I absolutely think this is something to only be encouraged. Art can be a very soothing process and I think it can truly help a lot of people.

Let’s talk about fashion again, how do you dress for a day at your art studio? Is there a garment, or accessory, you couldn’t live without?

I tend to dress as comfortable as possible. In the studio, the main focus is on making the work. If I had to choose one item, it would be my massive coat. I wouldn’t be able to live without it during the winters in the studio.

Isabella, you’re currently working on ‘Another Place’, your artist residency at Islington Square. Can you please give us a sneak peek?

For this show and residency, I wanted to challenge myself to step away from observation and into imagination. It was all about taking myself out of my comfort zone. There are very large drawings, sculptures and a series of drawings based on completely random newspaper articles, like “Eating that meal could kill you: not taking food allergy seriously”. It was interesting to see the visual imagery that can develop from just one word. Also experimenting with scale was an interesting process in achieving something new with my drawings, as usually I draw miniature. It was about creating a more immersive experience for the viewer.

Let’s close the interview with one last question: what’s your secret dream?

To be a marine biologist. There’s so much about the ocean we have yet to discover!