Discover the woman behind the art! Amaia (@the_oneiric) created for us this artwork of biodegradable stickers. Here are a few questions so you can get to know her!
1- Can you introduce yourself and your work?
Hello, my name is Amaia and I’m an illustrator and graphic designer based in London. I combine this line of work with my other passion: Tai Chi and Qi Gong. I teach Tai Chi to over 100 weekly students across London. My illustration style has evolved with the years, but it’s always been very much connected to the world of the oneiric, the subconscious, the ideas that we might find difficult to express through words but that can say a lot when taking a visual form.
2- What was your inspiration behind Gallinée’s illustrations?
I loved the concept of seeing our bodies like a living planet, full of life, beautiful. I wanted that idea to transpire into the stickers, particularly when illustrating bacteria, as they can incorrectly have quite a bad reputation.
3- How did you manage to stay creative during lockdowns and this trying year?
When I’m going through difficult or stressful periods (and this year has giving us plenty of both!) staying creative takes a cathartic dimension; creating art is actually what helps me stay sane and maintain a positive outlook. I am quite lucky in the sense that I enjoy creative activities of all sorts and I enjoy learning new things, so I’ve filled my free time with a lot of music playing, writing, drawing, meditating, and experimenting with new fields like animation.
4- What does Christmas mean to you and what are you wishing for this year?
As a kid I used to love all the magic surrounding Christmas; I still believe in magic, but Christmas is now more about going back home and seeing family and friends that I don’t get to see during the year. My main wishes would be for all of us to recover and heal from this worldwide crisis, so that we can go back to connecting through love, touch and affection. Also, for all humankind to realise that in many ways we were living within systems that are not sustainable and that we need to work together to find better ways of co-existing. And last but not least, I dream with the day that I’m be able to set foot at a dance floor and dance all my worries away!
5- Any shoutout to other artists you love?
There are so many I love that I wouldn’t know where to start, but if I could choose only one, then French artist Jean Giraud, who was also known as Moebius, would be my number one source of admiration. I own few of his comics and I can happily spend hours re-visiting them.
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