London-based, Maltese artist and illustrator, Iella, will be commemorating 15 years since she began mastering the art of life drawing with a two-and-a-half-week exhibition titled Everyday People. On at the Christine X Art Gallery in Sliema, the exhibition will feature approximately 200 pieces drawn from life by the artist between the ages of 18 and 33.
Everyday People promises to be an exhibition that guides visitors through IELLA’s journey in mastering the craft and creating beautiful, poignant, and sometimes proactive life drawings that include portraits and nudes.
The exhibition begins with archival drawings that have never been exhibited. These were mostly created in her early days as an artist when she attended evening sessions at the Malta Society of the Arts in Valletta. It then continues through her artistic journey and culminates with pieces that were inspired by the vibrant life drawing scene of London. Iella has lived there for more than 10 years and it’s where she’s honed her skills in capturing the essence of subjects by attending life drawing sessions around the city.
What makes this exhibition particularly special – other than Iella’s gorgeous life drawing – is that this artist is normally known for her comics and illustrations, with fantasy scenes in bright, vivid colours and gothic pencil drawings being among her signature creations. In other words, we will be seeing a new side of this artist, with each piece on display showcasing the unique joy of life drawing as a discipline, as well as a means of building creative muscle memory for her most significant projects and illustration pieces.
Everyday People: Showcasing 15 years of life drawing by Iella runs between April 12 and 13 at Christine X Art Gallery17, Sliema. For other Sunday Circle magazine features read all about managing your money like a pro or this book about the Maltese mafia in Soho.