What is the best thing that I love about my work?

Giving an image to my thoughts and emotions, before carrying out a project these images live in my head for months, sometimes even for years before finding the right shape. When I manage to shape them, I am truly satisfied and proud!

What is my idea of happiness?

Feeling internally fulfilled, believing in what I do and the simplicity of the small things. It makes me happy to know that my art can be a help for others.

What is my greatest fear?

My fear is that of not being understood, and that my pessimistic thoughts take over by preventing me from reacting.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself?

Sometimes I let myself be overwhelmed by the judgment of others and by my insecurity. But I’m working on it, it’s an aspect that I want to overcome.

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire?

I admire many artists, of different genres. I especially like those who make Idea, Aesthetics and Research the technique for their work. I like those who experience art as an evolutionary pathway and do not limit themselves to creating the same subject for years.

What is my greatest extravagance?

When I take self-portraits. I can be all the characters I want to be by myself in front of the lens, I make the various parts of me: woman, man, strong, sad, sensual, crazy,… more characters live inside me and that remains the only space where I can make them all live or come alive. As if it a theater stage.

On what occasion would I lie?

When I can’t do otherwise.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work?

When what I do doesn’t exactly coincide with what I have in mind or that the thing I had thought about is not so exciting. Another thing I don’t like is that to accomplish some jobs you need a lot of money and if you don’t have the finances, you are forced to give up.

When and where was I the happiest, in my work?

When I created the exhibition “Focus” project in 2016, the theme was very delicate, in 2013 I experienced my father’s suicide and I felt the need to create a project on that theme and it meant a lot to me. Seeing the people deeply touched and who also wanted to share their personal experiences with me was one of the best gifts ever. A truly precious exchange.

If I could, what would I change about myself?

Through art and philosophy books I am already trying to improve some parts of me and I am trying to love myself more.

What is my greatest achievement in work?

I mention one of the latest, it is above all a personal success. I found a very valid press center (IMPRIMERE fine art) and I was finally able to create a portfolio of some of my projects on fine art paper. I had wanted to do it for a long time and I was delighted with the result.

Where would I most like to live?

I would like to live more in contact with nature, in the mountains. And to have a nice space for an artistic studio. Maybe one day I will be able to grant this wish!

What is my most treasured possession?

We never really own anything, but I love enjoying the collections of CDs, books, magazines, prints and mirrors that I have managed to collect over all these years. They are objects that help inspire me.

What is my most marked characteristic?

I like listening to people and putting others at ease.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city?

The walk surrounded by greenery near the Maira river, peace of mind.

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city?

I don’t have a favorite place in particular, there are some nice places based on different situations and what you want to eat or drink.

What books influenced my life and how?

Lots! It would be difficult to mention them all, but I like to make a list of those that have characterized some moments of life and made me learn new feelings: in childhood “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, in adolescence “We, Boys of the Berlin Zoo” by Christiane F. and “Due di Due” by Andrea De Carlo, at twenty years old the “Dance of Reality” by Jodorowsky and the “The Well of Loneliness” by Radclyffe Hall and recently “Pleasure, a creative approach to life” by Alexander Lowen.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day?

I would put two songs, one after the other, the first is “Gleypa Okkur” by Ólafur Arnalds, an Icelandic composer that I love, I would like people to close their eyes and let themselves be carried away by emotions, and then immediately after “Gracias a la vida” by Mercedes Sosa, to make sadness turn into a big thank you for all that life has given us and we have lived.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?

Amélie Poulain! Protagonist of the film “Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amélie Poulain”, I loved that character and her way of being, I found myself very much in her.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?

All those who stand out, those who love authenticity and those who fight for their rights.

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime?

Uhm, not easy … I am reminded of a film that I had seen years ago and I have watched many times: “Matrix“. There are so many concepts within it from which innumerable ideas for reflection can arise, on the concept of reality, choice, and life. It is a philosophical film.

What role plays art in my life and work?

I’d say that’s all. Every moment of my life is linked to passion in art. In addition to producing it, I love and need to see exhibitions, read art books, discover new artists … Art fills life with beauty.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me?

We ourselves build our existence, the choices we make, the mistakes we make, the people we meet, the more we try to understand what we are and what makes us feel good, the more our life will go in the direction we want it to go.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?

My wife, my life partner. She believes in me a lot, even in moments of crisis she supports me. I’m very lucky.

Which people or companies would I like to work with in 2020?

I would like to find a reality (Gallery or Curator) who believes in my work and supports me to let people know what I do. I am looking for someone who cares more about the artistic message than the market or what is going on most right now.

Which people in my profession who can make a real difference in my creative career would i love to meet in 2020?

For this 2020 I am looking for people who work in the field of performance and dance theater. For years I have used my body to express concepts and emotions, but now I need to find performers who can express certain sensations through their body and enrich my work with new subjects. I want to find reality in the field of Performing Arts in Turin.

What project, in 2020, am I looking forward to work on?

In my new “KALÓS” project, it is an idea about the beauty of man and of humanity in general, about the richness of diversity and comparison. It is a very ambitious job that will involve a few people. I hope to do it within this year!

Where can you see me or my work in 2020?

An exhibition was canceled for Covid, it was scheduled in Saluzzo (a village not far from where I live in Piedmont) in a beautiful historic villa, but will be rescheduled as soon as the situation improves. To keep up to date on what I do, just follow me on Social (Facebook–Instagram) or on my Blog.

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?

Passion is what keeps us alive, I know that I will always continue to express myself, maybe it can change the means by which I do it, but not the act, that always lives with me.

Which creative heroines should Peter invite to tell their story?

I’d like nominate Vesna Bursich, she is a hyper-realistic painter, she is helping me in the realization of the “KALÓS” project and she is an authentic artist of incredible creativity.

How can you contact me?

You can find my work on my website: http://www.cristinapedratscher.com, or on my social channels Facebook and Instagram.

Here follows a message of Peter de Kuster, founder of The Heroine’s Journey