Felicia Atanasiu was born and raised in Bucharest, Romania. After graduating from high school she moved to Toronto — and soon after arriving, enrolled in her first life drawing class, which she had always dreamed of doing. That class led her to illustration, and she enrolled in the illustration program at Ontario College of Art and Design.
While in her final year and soon after graduation, her work began receiving awards and recognition, and she launched her freelance career. She has worked across online and print marketing, promotional and publishing assignments, including CD covers, magazine editorials, packaging, greeting cards and fashion illustration.
Her working technique involves hand-tinting photos, pencil, watercolour, graphic design and adding textures to her pieces. The subtle qualities of Felicia's crafted illustrations can be described as humanistic, decorative and imaginative.
Felicia's vision is rooted in the distant memories of Romanian folklore, the psychedelic 70s, abstract expressionism and the avant-garde — as well as figurative and emotive drawing. The explosion of colour, detailed line work, abstract shapes and subtle textures are blended with drawing and painting to create the final organic compositions she is known for.
What inspires you?
I think my cultural background inspires me the most. The constant battle of being a Romanian and a Canadian is definitely something that I draw inspiration from. Within this transition I find constant meaning in the old and the new — the fresh ideas of the 60s and 70s in music, fashion, art and politics, clashing with the glorified "me" of North American present culture, and the post-communist Romania and the whole Eastern European bloc.
This combination of history and culture, past and present, influences my way of thinking and my visual perceptions — hence the transparencies and layers in my work, combined with ornamental drawing to define a contemporary collage of mixed feelings and subtle expressive perceptions.
What do you love about fashion illustration?
I also find a lot of inspiration in avant-garde fashion as a way of expressing thought and concept, as opposed to a glossy runway show. I mean I love fashion, but I think I love the place it comes from and not the obvious result that most people understand. Today artists and illustrators take this generic fashion illustration idea and transform it into a personal style of expression — which is what I really like.
Favorite projects you have worked on?
Personal projects are always the most rewarding because they come from a very honest place. But I always get very happy when I get to illustrate difficult and emotional content. One of my favorite assignments was a piece I did for Playgirl Magazine — the article was based on the story of a non-profit organization working to end female genital mutilation in Africa. As an illustrator my job is to communicate messages that can sometimes be delicate in matter, but with such assignments I try to make a positive ending, yet vulnerable and profound.
Favorite websites?
What would be some dream projects?
I feel that any project I get is a dream. But I think I would really love to do the kind of collaborations that James Jean has done for Prada, or Toledo for Nordstrom ads. Every day I try to make the impossible possible by believing in what I do.
This year I want to expand my fine art projects and focus on illustration as well. I'm also planning on launching my own t-shirt line — and I would love to travel a bit more. Every day I try to make the impossible possible by believing in what I do.
