I Draw Something Every Day to Connect to Myself

I grew up in a family where arts and creations were something common, my father is a writer/poet and my mother is a plastic artist.

1. Tell us more about your background and journey.

Well hi! My name is Ío, I’m an Argentinian residing in Spain. I grew up in a family where arts and creations were something common, my father is a writer/poet and my mother is a plastic artist.

So I grew watching her painting and my father writing and they never try to make my sister and I do the same as them but they did appreciate our creations, encouraging us to keep doing and develop our own style but not pushing (that’s important!).

I’ve been drawing all my life, every day, just for fun. That’s my way to communicate not to others, but to myself. I’ve never gone to classes or academies of art, all I got now is a product of my own mistakes and trial/error.

2. When did you decide you wanted to be an artist?

I never decided it consciously. It was just the normal path for me and my sisters. I never stopped drawing, so I guess I naturally became an adult that illustrates every day.

3. Is it a financially stable career?

I have a job that’s completely unrelated to illustration, so all I draw is for me. I think this year or next year will be the first one I become an artist that’s officially selling with a store and all because I want to have a little income while studying other things that are unrelated to illustration too, I’m not sure if I will continue with this if my studies lead me to the job I want.

I don’t know how to approach the illustration as a profession because I’m afraid it could corrupt in a certain way my vision of creation. I’d never say never before trying, but if now I’m considering art as a career is only because I need it to accomplish my professional goals. I guess I’ll let y’all know if I continue this path :)

4. Who is your favorite artist and why?

I have a lot! First, of course, my mother and her paintings and now her pencil/digital work and embroidery (@ferlacriolla on Instagram). I love the lines and the style of my sister, who works with nordic style and Viking knots (@design_fiskrart).

I also love Yuko Shimizu’s (@yukoart) ink and digital work, I really learned a lot from her and I can’t respect her more than I do.

Also, Judith Chamizo (@judithchamizo), Lorena Álvarez (@artichoke_kid), and Srta.M (@m_atelier) are artists with a pure, innocent, and beautiful style I love.

Animations from @rocioquillahuaman are superb too, if you speak Spanish please take a look at her work because it’s amazing.

5. Where do you get inspired to create art?

I don’t know. People ask me this a lot and at first, I tried to answer but I realized I always made up the answers, trying to make sense out of something I don’t understand.

It’s ok to not understand certain things, especially regarding mental processes of oneself. I could tell you how I came up with my illustration in a conductual way: I just sit and think what do I wanna say today? How am I feeling? How the image comes to my mind is something I don’t know.

6. What does your typical day look like?

I woke up at 8:30 more or less, do 30’ of yoga (beginners’ yoga, just to move my body a little bit and be aware of how it works, how I move it, etc), and then go to work.

Usually, by then I already have an idea of what I’m going to draw this day, I start to think about it as soon as I open my eyes. When the image on my mind is ready, 95% of work is done. Right now I have a shift work job so I don’t have a typical day but a bunch of different typical days depending on my shift.

I think it’d be too long to break down all my week on this answer, but you get the idea: I woke up, do yoga, go to work, have lunch, work again sometimes, draw, dinner, draw, draw, draw until I’m too tired to hold a pencil.

7. What piece of advice would you like to give to future aspiring artists?

I draw/create something every day. For me, it’s the best way to learn, to connect to myself, to grow, and to develop a unique point of view I feel comfortable with. Don’t try to do everything perfect now, allow yourself to commit mistakes, and to rest whenever you need it.

I draw every day, you don’t have to do the same but I would recommend this: try to find a moment or moments in your daily life to yourself even if it’s not for the draw or create, just to be with you and to be comfortable being you.

8. Which is your favorite book and why?

I love the small stories written by Julio Cortázar in the book Ceremonias - Final de Juego y Las Armas Secretas, I always read them. I love El Perseguidor and Cartas de Mamá especially, I’m not giving English names because I don’t know how they’ be been translated into other languages.

Cortázar is one of the links I have with my country and I enjoy going back to the situations, scenarios, and context related there, I kinda feel connected to it. They are like home.

Instagram ID - @io_wuerich