'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Thursday 30 May 2019

Meet The Illustrator: Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki

Name: Luisa Gioffre-Suzuki

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Informed by a Fine Art sensibility, light, colourful, humorous, loose, immediate.

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Brushes, pens, inks, papers always at hand, PC/tablet to play with digital images/hybrid works and research for projects.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
As an illustrator, the medium that I use frequently is ink and water colour because of it’s immediacy and clarity. As a fine artist I seem to always go back to oils and the qualities that is hard to replicate with other mediums (but comes close!)

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Oliver Jeffers, John Shelley, William Turner, Elise Hurst


Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
Now and now- we are in an age where there are SO many things at our fingertips and barely enough time to take a fraction of it in.


Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
For me it was not one thing but a development that occurred. I was (and plan to be again in the very near future) a very active exhibiting artist in both Australia and overseas. Particularly while living in Japan I found that I wanted to spread my wings more in terms of creating and accessing a wider audience. Step in illustration (both space and materials a lot more user friendly) and the start of an exploration that continues to date.

Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often?
Talk us through it. My work space is very very very messy. But I know where everything is. Kind of.


What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
I think my favourite part is bringing the story to life in colour and image. Once all the brainstorming and planning is done, it is down to pure concentrated creativity which is by far the most satisfying.


What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Perseverance, follow your instincts and believe in your ideas.

Luisa started drawing and painting from a young age and went on to University to study Fine Art in Australia and Holland, settled in Japan for 13 years and made the big move back to Australia with her hubby, two kids and nutty but sweet dog in 2012. Her house is a mix of Italian, Japanese and Aussie culture and often it gets confusing with all the chatter going on. Luisa draws daily, inspired by the everyday and the silly and the sometimes mysterious and elusive moments that can be found there.

You can follow Luisa on instagram and facebook or visit her website for more information.