Lucia Mendes-Petorin: illustrator of the feminine and the nature

Telephone: +33 6-13-47-61-53

Behind “Lucia” we find Lucia Mendes-Pétorin. She lives in Saint-Julien-de-l’Escap near Saint Jean d’Angély in Charente Maritime [France]. She does some illustrations and graphic works. In life, she has many passions. Whether it is the arts, design and drawing. But also meditation, dancing, walking and yoga.

OJL : Hello Lucia.
Lucia : Hello.

OJL : Four quick questions before getting to the heart of the matter.
As you live in Saint-Jean-d’Angély, can you tell us what your favourite café is there ? And what do you like to eat there ?
Lucia : I like to go to “Le tapas du marché”. And simply drink an espresso there. It’s one of the best I’ve ever drunk. Except when I lived in Paris where I went to “Café Verlet”. A roaster located on rue Saint Honoré.

OJL : And what is your favourite park or place ?
Lucia : The Coubre national forest. And its beach on the wild coast.

OJL : Next, what was the last book you read ? And the last song you listened to ?
Lucia :_About the book: “The 13 Original Clan Mothers” by Jamie Sams.
_About the song: “Abrete corazon” by Laboratorium pieśni.

OJL : Finally, do you have a quote and/or proverb that you like ?
Lucia : I like the sentence “Everything is possible!” (laughs).

OJL : Let’s talk a little about you now. How could you introduce yourself ?
Lucia : I am Lucia. An illustrator and graphic designer. I let myself be guided by the magic of sacred Love. I am naturally optimistic, I cultivate my joy and the dynamics of my inner child. And I have always believed in magic, in the life, the nature and the hearts.

OJL : Who are the professionals who shaped you ? Who struck you down ? In a few names and why.
Lucia : There are several. I would like to quote :
_The ilustrations of Brian Froud and Alan Lee on the world of elementals. They have shaped the images of the energies I sense from nature.
_During my years at the School of Fine Arts, Louise Bourgeois’ work on the hands touched me deeply. In one of her installations, she used gloves showing traces of life. And another of his works featured a multitude of red hands as if painted with blood. She moved me a lot. The materialization of human feelings of life through its tracing… of the tangle of the fingers… I find it very moving.
_The work of Egon Schiele. Especially his self-portraits. Very striking work. His look is so real… His work on the transparency of the skin showing life with also the imprint of death, touched me a lot. The same goes for his work on the distortion of bodies.
_The work of Alphonse Mucha. His drawings between stained glass and graphics are pure beauty… And his work “Le Pater” which links art and his philosophy of life, moved me enormously. There is a real search for the divine and the sacred in his art.
_And in a lighter aesthetic, I like children’s illustration books. For example, I love Rebecca Dautremer’s illustrations, because of the fineness of her details. As well as the illustrations of Benjamin Lacombe for their “bittersweet” and “pretty and at the same time tortured” side. This is clear in his book “Spirits & Creatures of Japan”.

OJL : Let’s talk a little about your work now. What are you creating ?
Lucia : I create illustrations, which sometimes follow the cycle of the seasons, and also sometimes a theme that thrills me. There are very colourful and playful themes in my work, as with my personality. But also deeper themes. The sacred, the magic, the nature and the energies are my favourite themes.

OJL : How can you define your style ?
Lucia : Colourful and vibrant.

OJL : What techniques do you use ?
Lucia : I use traditional methods and digital methods.
_As for traditional methods : I draw and colour the old-fashioned way on paper and I leave my pencil lines there. I use watercolour, gouache, ink, markers, poscas. I like to create my backgrounds and all the details, separately, one by one. Then I scan them.
_As for digital methods : I use a graphics tablet and drawing software to bring everything together and work closely.

OJL : Can we place you a personalized order ?
Lucia : Yes I can create a special order.
_As an illustrator : I make portraits or special illustrations.
_As a graphic designer : the logos I create are all drawn. These are unique and personalized creations. The same goes for effigies.

OJL : Can we subscribe to your newsletter ? Because social networks are a bit saturated…
Lucia : Ah, you give me a good idea! Thank you ! Well, in the future I may see that…

OJL : Do you have an anecdote about the creation of one of your products? Or one of your sales?
Lucia : In my series of illustrations on witches, there is the work called “Douce Vibration Guide moi”. I had just finished this creation on my computer, and there, a little power outage ! I never got my job back. Hours of work ! I cried that day ! Luckily I still had my sketch. And I knew how to do it again, which is so much the better !
So since then, and also because I like to have real contact with the material, I finish my illustrations as much as possible by hand before scanning everything. So I keep my pencil drawing and then my colouring. It also allows me to show the before and after. In short, everything is experience and moves us towards what is best for us.

OJL : Last question. You definitely have friends who are doing amazing things ! If you want to promote them a little, now is the time !
Lucia : Yes, I would like to name three of them. I find their world and their know-how fantastic ! So are nominated :
_ Étienne Viollet : illustrator, creator of magnificent waxed paper objects : https://www.etienneviollet.com/
_Lara Blanchard : artist, embroiderer and sculptor :
https://www.larablanchard.com/
_“Cheese before bedtime” (Amy Jones) : embroidery artist : https://cheesebeforebedtime.art/

OJL : Bravo for what you do. May Our Lady protects you.
Lucia : Thank you.

Alpha Centauri

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