Camilla d’Errico
We drop in on Studios, in Gastown, Vancouver, to see what makes the Canadian artist tick
My studio is my sanctuary. I have an incredible corner space that has water and mountain views. I look out on to North Vancouver and watch the cruise ships sail by and dogs playing in the park across the street.
When inspiration hits, I’m a slave to it. I’d be the hardest person to stalk, because I keep such strange hours. Some days I arrive before most people have woken up, often leaving long after they’re asleep.
Summer or winter, I’m always sipping tea when I work. It’s part of my routine. I go through emails and organise my projects and appearance schedule with my assistant. I love speaking to fans online. It’s inspirational to read people’s comments and see what other artists are posting. The rest of my day is spent working: drawing or painting, based on how I’m feeling that day.
I never force creativity, unless I’m on deadline. Some weeks all I want to do is paint. Then I’ll be in a mad rush to complete a drawing project, pulling a few all-nighters to make my deadline. If I could focus my mind to be creative when I wanted it to, It’d be a lot less chaotic.
Speaking of chaotic, my work space is usually quite messy. I often have books everywhere, drawings and reference scattered on my desk. It’s both unnerving and energising. Images pop into my head when I’m jogging or having a coffee with friends and I immediately sketch them out when I get back. A lot of my ideas are rubbish, so I don’t always follow through. The story appears to me as I create it. It’s a very mysterious process. Even to me.