BOSS WOMAN 116 | NAKED NOTIONS

A PINOT NOIR WITH GRACE FROM NAKED NOTIONS

What is your drink of choice?

My drink of choice is influenced by my southern Italian heritage and memories of making red wine with my grandfather. It is most definitely my go to, especially when I’m working in my studio in the evening. There’s something romantic about this perfect combo…painting and pinot noir!

Tell us a little bit about yourself? 

I am a 21 year old female indie author and artist. I consider myself to be a Peter Pan type of person. I advocate for child-like creativity, being satisfied in your unique identity, not letting society stifle you as a woman or because you are different. I am all about letting dreams run away with you but also dedicating time and energy into setting goals that will see your dreams materialise. I graduated from college in 2017, after being burnt out by the pressured school environment, I decided to take a gap year. I went on a sisterhood pilgrimage through Europe with my best friends, re-found myself and decided then to pursue what makes me happy. I returned to my favourite childhood pastimes, art, music and writing. I am currently a student at the ANU, studying Art History and Curatorship. A fun fact about me is that I have a cacti fetish and love to collect these exotic plants to decorate my creative spaces.

Tell us about Naked Notions and how it came to be?

Naked Notions is a collection of my poetry and reflections accompanied by my watercolour paintings and ink figure drawings. The writing and illustrations together reflect the transition from adolescence to adulthood, womanhood, body image, relationships and gaining new perspectives. I have combined my naked thoughts with naked bodies, exploring how there is beauty and power in the un-sexualised human form that can unlock different dimensions of written art. I hope many readers, young and old, can identify with my experiences, learn from my acquired wisdoms and see this book as a vibrant opportunity for introspection and self-development.

How can we support Naked Notions?

Naked Notions is my first book and small business, you can support me by promoting the book on social media, following @naked.notions on Instagram and heading to the website www.nakednotions.com to order a copy or buy my prints!

Any advice for those wanting to turn their dream into a reality?

It is great to have a dream, but it needs to be converted into a practical vision with incremental achievable steps. Once I decided to write and illustrate a book, I devised a rough timeline and planned progress milestones for each month before even starting. Ideas should not remain only in your mind but be made into reality through planning, dedication and self-belief. My best advice from what I have learnt from this challenging two year project, is that you must be motivated to stick to daily commitments. For me, this meant at times completing 3 artworks a day for 6 months between working and studying. You must be willing to make sacrifices with your time and finances. You must be ready to problem solve and approach roadblocks calmly and most importantly, it is crucial to enjoy the process rather than always having a finish line mindset when the present moment is passing you by.