Interview: Raquel Nunes

10294451_626965584057378_906238179904254585_n

Please tell us a bit about yourself Raquel?

My name is Raquel Nunes. I’m 23 years old. I’m from Palmela, Portugal. I studied Drawing at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the University of Lisbon, and just recently moved there to start my “day job”. I’m now sharing an appartment with two lovely persons, my two cats, Baguera and Poppy, and another cat called Mr Tobias. It’s been going great so far, I’ve lived alone before, but this is my first time doing it outside my hometown. I guess the only thing I’m missing most is my cat Micas, she stayed at my dad’s house, since she is already 16 and change is not one of her favourite things.

What inspired you to begin your artistic career?
I’ve always liked to draw, as most kids do, but never had an inclination towards the arts. We here in Portugal have to choose a specialty, lets call it, in high school. It can be science and technologies, in which case you’ll have subjects like biology, geology, physics, to go along with the core ones like portuguese, philosophy, physical education, etc. I never really considered going to study Visual Arts, so I went with Science and Technology. I do think biology is an amazingly fascinating subject but after a year, I started to feel like that wasnt the path for me. I couldnt see myself in a few years time still learning about it, and have to make that my career. I started looking into my optins that summer, and i also started drawing my favourite band members as a way to pass the time. And one day I thought, ” Hey this is actually not that bad ( now I look back and they’re are terrible of course ahah), and it’s a lot of fun to do”. So eventually, after a few days trying to decide between social studies and visual arts, I went to study visual arts.

10544236_679647015455901_5034440646683021297_o

What do you do when you’re not using your creative brain?

Well, although I pass on studying it, I do love history, and art history, so I binge watch documentaries about it. About painters, movements, wars, personalities, etc. I also watch a lot of tv shows, mostly comedy and drama. I’ve been really into english panel shows for quite some time, Would I lie to you, 8 out of 10 cats, Mock the Week, etc. I also love Game of Thrones, Friends, Doctor Who, Downton Abbey, Elementary, just to name a few. Believe I like a lot of them. Oh and reading. One of the biggest decisions when moving was which books to bring with me. I had a huge bookcase at home, here I havent, books are heavy… Drama! Was that the biggest clishe of an answer ever? ahah

Do you have any favourite artists out there?
I’ve been using instagram a lot to discover new artists and I’ve been blown away by their talent. Kelyy Mckernan and Ellen Wilberg with their watercolours. David Kassan. Henrik Uldalen. Emanuel de Sousa. Kaspian Shore. Jonathan Bergeron. Tom Bagshaw. Catherine E.Moore. Bec Winnel. And Zé Pereira, a good friend and former classmate at FBAUL.

10414599_650371185050151_1932844010506361216_n

Who’s your personal style icon and why?
I dont think I have a specific style icon. I think I just absorb influences from a lot of artist, recent, and not so recent. One of the examples is John William Waterhouse. I adore the way he does womens faces, their features. Klimt might be one of my influences as well, and works like “Medicine” and the ” Beethoven Frieze”. I also like the work of Lola and the Photography. I’ve done a few illustrations based on her photography. We share a bit of the same aesthetics.

Do you have a favourite piece of artwork?
Maybe “Gather Ye Roses While Ye May” by Waterhouse. It’s been my phone’s wallpaper for almost a year. When Im waiting for sometime, may it be an appointment, public transportation, whatever, I find myself whipping my phone out and just stare at it.

10524636_681010941986175_5251052082465704116_n

Any exciting projects in the pipeline?
Well it is still in the works, they still need a venue, but maybe and group showing here in Lisbon. I expect to finish in the upcoming months my ” Royals” project – combining portraits of english kings ( maybe in the future I’ll include portuguese monarchs as well) with one of the characteristics associated with them/ their reign in a single illustration. For example I have Queen Victoria and her mourning, Charles the first and his beheading, James the second and his nosebleeds when his son in law would invade…But nowadays the thing that occupies most of my days is my new job. Im still in training, trying to figure out what I’m doing.

How do you see yourself in five years time?
Well I would like to be more financially stable, having some regular commissions would be nice as well. Hint hint. I’d love if could travel more. Maybe visit eastern europe. Do a tour of art museums across europe. See the Slav Epic in Austria. So many things. But mainly, be satisfied with the way things going, maybe have my anxiety more controlled, be healthy, surrounded by friends. The important things. Oh and if possible, have more cats!