Check out today’s Back Talk where we catch up with artist Camilla d’Ericco, whose two-person show Vain Remains opens at Thinkspace tomorrow, 9/11. Looks like Camilla’s love of comics has serious competition, and she appears to be smitten.

How do you feel right now?

Like my eyes are about to fall out of their sockets! I've been madly painting and working and after the week of all nighters I've pulled, I'm starting to loose my grip on reality...or maybe that's just the swirling in my eyes...

If you could wake up in a different place tomorrow morning, where would it be and what would you do?

Oooo, I would love to wake up in a hut somewhere tropical, somewhere quiet where I could hear the birds chirp and the waves roll in. I would slowly get up, stand in a sun spot, stretch, then run out into the warm waters, taste the salty water and just float for hours...

If you lost your creative skill, how would you see yourself making a living?

Being as stubborn as I am, I'd still find a way to be creative. I'd love to be an art director in comics, or an editor, I might get into the anime industry. As long as I work on visual media in some fashion I'll be happy.

If you could punch one living contemporary artist, who would it be?

I might slap Baseman around a bit...but that's more playful than anything else.

Was your first kiss worth writing a song about?

Not so much...it was stolen, albeit it smoothly. But I don't think people write songs about girls falling for the "oh I dropped my keys" bit.

At what point were you particularly happy?

Right now I'm completely giddy. I found my true love, and I couldn't be more hopelessly in love and happy.


No regrets allowed, but there must have been one?

I only ever regretted not telling the boy I loved how I felt, but now life has worked its web, and made things come around so I've rectified my only regret.

What trait do your friends have in common?

They all love nature and tend to hate crowds. I am surrounded by nature lovers and I love it. It makes me really appreciate the diversity of human nature.

If you had to evacuate your home or studio, what's the one thing you would grab?

My giant Buddha Kuro!! I love my big devil plushie.

Greatest love of your life?

My current boyfriend. We have quite a history, a story that you could make into a movie or a great shoujo manga!


What is your favorite vice?

Gluttony. Hands down...food too good....

When you blow out birthday candles, what do you wish for?

No way I'm telling! I wouldn't jinx myself now…crazy.


If you could play a character from a favorite film or TV show for a day, who would it be?

My problem is, I love all the male characters I see, and there are truly too many...but if I could be anyone…maybe Spiderman…web slinging looks like fun.


Do you ever lie?

In the oddest situations...like if I get a call "where are you?"- "I'm almost there!" when really...I'm still at home.

Do you think viewers understand the intent of your work?

Sometimes people see exactly what I intend, and its delightful, but most times people interpret their own ideas and its very fun to hear what they think, and sometimes they'll see more in a piece then i had put in. If I could show people my meaning, I think it would take away the magic of art, so I'll be satisfied with the those who do see what I see, and enjoy those who see something else.

What virtue can you do without?

Loyalty. It sounds strange, but that virtue has been my enemy in the past. Sometimes people don't follow their hearts because of it, if you are too loyal, you might miss out on your own freedom.

Do you even notice when you're swearing?

I have a trucker's vocabulary! I wish I didn't notice...

What has been your proudest moment?

The day i started my own company, d'Errico Studios Ltd, with my sister. I'm so happy to have that in my life, it has connected me to my family in a way that i couldn't imagine, it makes me proud to be the one to have created this path for us.

What would you like to be remembered for?

I hope that even when I'm gone, that people can still look at my paintings and see a personality in the eyes of my girls, and find joy in my stories.

How would you prefer to die?

Heroically.

 

For more on Camilla, check out her website.