Interview with Artist Antonella Deletic

At which age did you realise that you had a love for drawing and painting?

I was already in my teens. I remember I had made it a point to buy a branded diary for my last year at the Junior Lyceum. Back then, we did not have our school diaries, and we could buy one ourselves. I remember I went to buy one only a few days before school started and all branded diaries like Diesel, Levis and the sort were all gone. I ended up buying a Looney Tunes diary. Some days later, during a free lesson, I started copying one of the many characters in my diary, of the Looney Tunes. It was Tweety the bird. I was surprised because it came out so perfect that I could not believe I had done it all on my own! From then on, I kept surprising myself. I am a believer. Things always happen for a reason.

Was there anyone who supported your passion from a young age?

I remember when I had to choose the optional subjects in Form 3, I wanted to choose Art. Art was always within. In the end, I did not choose Art and then when I finished school I continued to draw and explore by myself. I like to see myself as self-taught.

What’s your most favourite piece of art so far?

To be honest, I'm loving every piece I am painting, but 'Beautiful Soul' will always remain my favourite since it was one of my first pieces where I was still discovering one of my styles. It started with an inspiring anecdote by my sister that led me to see all women as beautiful souls all around me.

What’s your favourite colour?

What does it symbolise?

So far, 'teal' was always my favourite. Most of my artworks have teal. It gives me a lot of energy and psychologically it makes me feel young at heart. It gives me a sense of tranquility. I have a natural inclination to go towards teal and I find myself buying different types of teal. It expresses my thoughts and emotions in an exceptional way. I tend to associate it with a fresh feeling, the dynamic youth and the lovely skyline beauty.

What’s brewing currently? Any theme that is inspiring you to leave everything behind and get those brushes rolling continuously in paint?

I am working on a new abstract collection and am also finalising my portfolio to start distributing it. I am building my audience on social media to let people get to know me and my work more. After setting up my Art accounts on social media, it took me four months to get my first client. This helped me believe more in myself especially knowing that people out there are appreciating my art. This feeling inspires me to keep on doing better.

Did you ever set up an exhibition? What was your most fruitful experience?

So far, I do not have experience in setting up an exhibition but there is always the first time, and hopefully it's going to be this year. I think that from the day I opened my accounts, to getting my first clients... all of this for me was a fruitful experience, it kept me motivated to keep on going and never stop believing.

What inspires you to keep on drawing?

Art and Artists, I am always fascinated by the work of other artists. Andrew Warhol’s style particularly speaks to me. Salvador Dali’ is in a class of his own and it jump-starts my enthusiasm to keep painting and especially not to be afraid to explore further. Inspired also by Dutch artist Michiel Folkers … I follow his art on Instagram and he is my idol in the sense that his art inspires me to be a better artist. I combined colours, mixed media and thoughts and ideas into my own style. Lately, I am also following Mark Mallia from the local scene. His art speaks to me as it is very different than the rest.

Are there any paintings that you would have liked not to have to drawn at all?

Not really. I keep on challenging myself. I believe that getting out of my comfort zone is what makes me grow. For example, I didn’t start out with painting of murals but when I got commissions to do so, I enjoyed myself and realised that I have another niche there too.

Where do you see yourself within the local art scene? Are there any future aspirations?

I would love to start doing exhibitions regularly and one of my goals is to continue licensing my artwork.

Is it difficult to get people engaged with your art? What’s the most frequent response?

Given that I am an emerging artist, I still need to figure out which is the best way to get people to engage with my art. Unfortunately, when I tried to exhibit my work with local and online local galleries I got negative responses or no responses at all, so my aim is to work harder to get my artworks visible in local galleries possibly even leaving my mark in the Art world.

Would you like the Ministry of Arts and Culture to support more local artists like you? What are your expectations?

Yes definitely, especially if the artist is still young, or self-taught as I am. This year I started taking online courses, and workshops as I want to keep on learning and growing. Being an artist for me means being responsible and consistent. With lots of determination I believe I can achieve what I expect; doing what I love as a full time job, but mostly make my art visible to make people happy and serene.

Where can we find your artistic creations?

https://www.facebook.com/giadesignsArt/

https://www/instagram.com/giadesigns_art/

Anyone interested to contact Artist Antonella Deletic directly, may do so through her own email: antonelladeletic@gmail.com or through her Business Contact Number +35679910550