I am a painter -in drawing I am at my best-, calligraphist, and set-designer for feature films. I am autodidact by early choice.
I was born in Rome. Baroque art runs in my veins, but during my childhood we traveled the world. Thus I have a strong affinity to the middle-European expressionism and to the art of ancient civilizations.
Now I live in Berlin with my family.
A good amount of talent in the arts runs in the family. In our homes there have always been quite good copies of old-masters' works, painted by family members. So I grew up thinking that Van Eyck's "Man with a Red Turban" was a great grandfather of mine, and a portrait of a girl in blue by Modigliani the portrait of our landlady's daughter. Until one day I found these same paintings in art books at my grandparents' house.
I think around 11 years of age I got conscious about the art's path I would tread.
At 14 I was living in Stuttgart, where I saw paintings by Francis Bacon in the Staatsgalerie. I bought a poster and hung it up in my small room, and stared at it every day for a loooong time. Until finally I perceived the light out of his darkness.
I studied communications design in Augsburg, Germany, where a passionate teacher, Mr. Hans-Richard Heitmann, revealed to me the art of calligraphy. It is to me a bit like praying. The discipline and control over my body, which I need to achieve to make a good piece of calligraphy is something I need as opposed to the animal energy I often pour into my drawings and paintings.
Thank You for Your interest,
Susanna Cardelli … Read More