Estée Preda was drawn from an early age to a vintage, somewhat gothic aesthetic. Living in a forest outside of Quebec City, she grew up on folktales and Brothers Grimm, but her Romanian heritage also plays a big part in her aesthetic.
Aside from folktales, she also mentions William Blake and Romantic painters as sources of inspiration. “I always loved his [William Blake’s] poetry and I’m just discovering his art,” she shared with the Tattly Blog. “He has watercolor works for Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It’s dreamy and inspiring.”
“I’m also looking at Greek and Roman things lately,” she added. “I’ve rediscovered sculpture and the Romantics – how painters in the 1700s and 1800s were bringing back their inspiration.”
Her artwork has a handmade feel to it, making for a more intimate effect. “I have a natural attraction for everything that’s handmade,” she admits. “Right now I’m really getting into fabric and embroidery. I work with yarn because it’s faster. I’m very influenced by folkloric textiles, especially eastern European folklore and embroidery.”
But though wholly committed to her creative path, it took her quite a while to get where she is today. “I originally studied economics,” said Preda. “Then for about 10 years I created snowboarding videos for companies like Roxy. I started painting about four years ago.”
She hasn’t stopped painting and illustrating ever since.
