What is the best thing that I love about my work?
I love that I can create vivid and different worlds with my drawings and paintings and also populate them with characters and creatures that I imagine.
What is my idea of perfect happiness?
Doing the job that I love, having time to read books, and living in a quiet and beautiful place with the person I love and surrounded by pets and animals.
What is my greatest fear?
To be stuck in a job that I don’t like and loose precious time doing something pointless just because I need money to survive.
What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?
My stubbornness. It could be a good thing sometimes, but most of the times it makes it difficult for me to open to new things. Also sometimes it makes me look at things in a negative way and this can stop me.
Which living persons in my profession do i most admire?
I really admire Fran Meneses a.k.a. Frannerd, a chilean illustrator based in New York, U.S.
She shares a lot of her creative process and personal thoughts to help other fellow illustrators and artists, and she has the strongest work ethic I have ever seen!
What is my greatest extravagance?
Probably the fact that I collect soft toys in the shape of realistic animals (that sounds funny now that I wrote it down). Also I play Dungeons & Dragons!
On what occasion would I lie?
I used to lie when I was a child, especially about homework, but now in my adulthood I find myself in no need of lying. I am a quiet person, but when I speak I tell what’s on my mind.
What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?
The difficulty of finding a job in a studio and the unstable position of freelancing, with clients who don’t pay and long hours of work.
When and where was I the happiest, in my work?
Probably when I started working on my personal project “Druwides”. I had a flow of ideas and produced some of my best work. The project is still in progress but it’s getting more and more interesting and elaborate.
If I could, what would I change about myself?
I would like to be more productive, I usually burn out very quickly and I would like to be able to work longer hours and be focused for longer.
What is my greatest achievement in work?
It’s so difficult for me to see the value of my work, I tend to finish a piece and immediately put it aside and start a new one because I already dislike the previous one, but I recently did an illustration for my project and I really liked it and it felt so good to finally feel that!
Where would I most like to live?
In a quiet place, surrounded by trees and hills, with the mountains nearby, sharing a lovely artsy home with my partner and tons of pets and animals…yes, I love animals too much!
What is my most treasured possession?
My book collection. I had to leave it at my parents home, because at this day I own more than 400 books and that could be tricky to fit in a small flat! But I have some more books here with me to keep me company.
What is my most marked characteristic?
Probably my hair. I have long natural dark blonde curly hair and I have a lot of it, sometimes I look like a sheep! Also I am quite tall.
What is my most inspirational location, in my city?
The National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, no doubt. I love to be in the presence of old masters paintings, it fills me with joy.
What is my favourite place to eat and drink, in my city?
I don’t go out a lot, but I really love my local pub Ye George Inn, dated 1647!
What books influenced my life and how?
As I mentioned, I’ve read A LOT of books, and quite a few of them influenced me and still do to this day.
The Lord of the Rings and The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien are probably some of the ones that forged my love for fantasy and medieval period culture.
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas is one of my favourite books and made my love for literature bloom.
Also the Harry Potter saga by J.K. Rowling has a special place in my heart since I grew up reading it and having exactly the same age as Harry made the experience so unique for me, I will never forget it.
Who are my favorite writers?
For sure the afore mentioned, Tolkien, Dumas and Rowling. But I also need to add a few more: Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, H.P. Lovecraft, Neil Gaimam, Patrick Rothfuss, Robin Hobb.
You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day?
Probably a playlist with my favourite songs from videogames and movies soundtracks, the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy music being my first choice.
Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?
I really like the character of Aragorn from The Lord of the Rings, I find that I have quite a few traits in common with him. I admire his calmness and the fact that he fights to protect others, and despite the huge sense of guilt that he carries, he succeeds in finding peace at the end.
A female character that I like a lot is Yennefer of Vengerberg, from The Witcher books by Sapkowski. She is a strong woman with a very strong character who does what she desires.
Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?
My sister , my mom and my dad, my partner and my best friends. I love this people so much and everyday they inspire me and they bring so many emotions in my life.
Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime?
Since I am a fantasy nerd… The Lord of the Rings trilogy by Peter Jackson. It’s a masterpiece.
Another one is not a movie, but it’s a masterpiece that needs to be seen, Breaking Bad all 5 seasons by Vince Gilligan.
What role plays art in my life and work?
Art is the centre of everything in my life, it’s such an important thing that defines who I am and what I love.
Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?
I would say my partner, Marco. He believes in me far more that I do and always tries to push me to do more and to enjoy what I do.
Whom would I like to work with in 2019/2020?
I would love to work for Wizards of the Coast and do Illustrations for their games and books!
Also I would like to have the opportunity of working with a team in a videogame studio like CD Projekt Red or Larian Studios!
Which people in my profession would i love to meet in 2019/2020?
I would love to meet my favourite illustrators and concept artists Iris Compiet, Wylie Beckert and Adam Duff.
What project, in 2019/2020, am I looking forward to work on?
I am looking forward to work on my personal project “Druwides” and start producing art prints, card sets and books for this project and open an Online Shop to sell my products!
Where can you see me or my work in 2019/2020?
You can find me on Instagram @albafrancescut where I post a lot of work in progress images.
My Portfolio is albacacao.wixsite.com/albafrancescut
What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?
Passion for what we love never truly leaves us, even in the darkest moments it is always there, we just need to find it and celebrate it, and what better way to celebrate it than create more art!
Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story?
I have the pleasure to call friends some of my favourite artists and would love to hear their story: Marco Capellazzi, Lorenzo Melizza, Cecilia Messina, Federico Meloni, Ilaria Sposetti, Joshua Grier, Sara Chissalè, Simone Furia.
How can you contact me?
You can contact me via email at albacacao@gmail.com
Here follows a message of Peter de Kuster, founder of The Heroine’s Journey
Are you a creative leader or creative professional looking to develop your business skills and storytelling?
Amidst today’s uncertainty, it is more important than ever to reconnect with yourself and others, develop your creative business, and build your story. Dive deep into your unique business style and areas for growth with the coaching of Peter de Kuster.
IS THE HEROINE’S JOURNEY COACHING FOR YOU?
You are a creative leader or creative professional who is interested in developing yourself, your business, and your story.
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You are aware that there are no quick fixes. Learning is a journey that works when you are fully committed to it. Coaching can bring awareness and help you navigate, but in the end it’s you who is in charge of your growth.
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You want to learn more about how to resource yourself, learn about blind spots, and get feedback.
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You are curious and want to engage in online learning.
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You are motivated to work in-between sessions on yourself (e.g. working on homework assignments that will help you develop new storytelling, skills, and behaviors).
WHAT’S YOUR COACHING QUESTION?
The Heroine’s Journey Coaching is all about your development. To make the most out of your sessions, we ask you to prepare topics to work on with Peter. These topics can serve as a starting point for further in-depth exploration with Peter.
These coaching topics typically resonate with the creative leaders Peter works with:
How can i tell the most powerful story possible about myself and my creative business?
How can I handle self promotion and marketing of my creative business better?
How do can I stay authentic and with focus when having difficult conversations with potential clients?
What are my creative values and how do I align these with my business values?
How can I manage my time and energy better?
How can I radiate confidence to my clients while feeling anxious inside?
How can I steer myself towards creative excellence without becoming rigid?
About Peter de Kuster
Peter de Kuster is the founder of The Heroine’s Journey & Hero’s Journey project, a storytelling firm which helps creative professionals to create careers and lives based on whatever story is most integral to their lives and careers (values, traits, skills and experiences). Peter’s approach combines in-depth storytelling and marketing expertise, and for over 20 years clients have found it effective with a wide range of creative business issues.
Peter is writer of the series The Heroine’s Journey and Hero’s Journey books, he has an MBA in Marketing, MBA in Financial Economics and graduated at university in Sociology and Communication Sciences.
PRICING
The Heroine’s Journey Coaching online sessions last 50 minutes and the fee is Euro 189 excluding VAT per session. The Heroine’s Journey Coaching is suitable for people at any stage in their career.
FAQ
Who can sign up for The Heroine’s Journey online coaching?
Creative leaders and creative professionals who wish to improve their business story and develop their business skills and mindset.
Should I choose 1:1 coaching?
Our The Heroine’s Journey experiences in world cities allow you to learn not only from the coach but also from your peers. For the small group coaching (1 – 4 people), we have selected important, relevant topics that we find regularly come up for creative professional: purpose, storytelling, creative confidence, self promotion, time & money and resilience.
If you would prefer to work alone or on a different topic, individual coaching is a better fit for you.
What language do we speak in the coaching sessions?
English.
Can I buy coaching for my organization?
Yes, you can! We support many organizations around the world with their coaching needs. Please contact us for more information.
Can I bring my own topics?
Yes, for individual coaching you get to choose your own topic.
Are coaching sessions confidential?
Yes. Peter will not share anything that is discussed in the coaching sessions.
Where will the coaching sessions take place?
Sessions will take place online (as per the times we live in) via an online tool like Zoom or Skype. Peter will let you know.
How do I sign up?
Send Peter a mail to theherojourneyquestionnaires@gmail.com to start booking your coaching sessions.
How do I pay?
After you send the mail, you will receive an email with a link to pay.
How do I book and reschedule sessions?
Once we’ve received your payment, Peter will contact you and book your coaching sessions. He will also support you with rescheduling sessions if needed.
What is your cancellation policy?
Individual coaching sessions can be postponed up to one week before the session.
The Heroine's Journey 