We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gaia Soia a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Gaia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

When I was a child, my mother enjoyed creating intricate artworks with salt dough, teaching me how to sculpt and color small objects. With few tools and plenty of imagination, she was able to bring to life scenes that enchanted me and left me in awe. I think that was the moment when I first felt drawn to the artistic world.
However, when it came time to choose which school to enroll in, I opted for a classical education, thinking that art should remain just a hobby to fill my days.
But soon I realized that I spent most of my time drawing (much to the dismay of my teachers) and I understood that becoming an illustrator would truly make me happy as a full-time job.
So after graduating, I attended the New Academy of Fine Arts and then the School of Comics in Milan.
In any case, the time spent in classical education served me well because it made me realize that besides drawing, I found writing very stimulating and that I could therefore combine these two passions.

Gaia, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Currently, my days are quite busy: I work in a company as a Graphic Designer, and part-time I enjoy myself as an Illustrator; in both roles, I feel free to express my creativity, often tapping into the knowledge I acquire from one or the other job, as if they were different colors on the same palette. However, what I prefer to do is undoubtedly drawing: my illustrations are united by a love for all that is irrational, fairy-tale-like, and dreamy; with my drawings, I hope to stimulate imagination and allow people to lose themselves in their dreams.
I believe that, especially in a historical moment like the one we are living in, so saturated with bleak and gray reality, being able to escape from reality is a brief breath of fresh air that everyone deserves.
As of today, I have published two children’s books on Amazon, “Nicola, il re e una Bicicletta” and “Ricciolina Onda del Mare,” commissioned by the writer Angela Niru, as well as “Duffy un’amica buffa,” a book written and illustrated by me, dedicated to my dog.
For the future, I have many aspirations: besides continuing to illustrate children’s books, I dream of being able to publish at least one novel for young adults with a major publishing house; currently, I am writing one, drawing from the few hours available in the evening and on weekends. Additionally, I would like to create and paint sculptures with a 3D printer, together with my boyfriend Percival Soia, who is a 3D Modeling Artist.
The wonderful thing about dreams is that they know no boundaries; it is up to us to turn them into reality!

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

What I would very much like is for what I create to touch people’s hearts and leave a lasting positive memory. I wish that those who observe my drawings or read what I write could distract themselves, find a springboard to dream and get lost in their thoughts; I would like to make them smile and provide comfort if needed.
I believe that art can have a great therapeutic power, and it would be wonderful if I could help others by doing what I love most in the world.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I have always been a very introverted person, and finding a way to express myself through my illustrations has helped me feel understood and appreciated in some way. In fact, the most rewarding aspect I find in being an artist is seeing my imagination come to life ‘on paper’ and connect with people in ways I never imagined. It’s amazing to see how my work can inspire emotions and feelings in people, often even different from each other or different from what I had envisioned when creating those drawings.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Gaia_Soia
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/gaiasoia
• Other: https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/gaia_soia/