Monika Libelula is a woman we have admired and supported for a long time. An artist whose passion is painting, with watercolor and drawing being her favorite techniques. Did you know that Monika is the author of the subtle hand drawings that appear on the packaging of our Extreme Retinol and Extreme Hyaluron masks? Aren't they unique?
1. Mathematics or philosophy?
The choice is very simple, the former is my Achilles' heel. Philosophy is about man, life, the search for truth, the pursuit of knowledge, reflections and ideas, someone's views and thoughts. Since I am also interested in psychology and like people, philosophy is close to me to some extent.
What is the sense of touch for you – a woman, an artist?
The sense of touch is the most important and authentic of the senses for me. Through touch, love, longing, desire – life – are born.
I know you worked professionally in a completely different field. Where did painting come from for you? How did your path to this profession unfold?
Previously, I was a make-up artist and wedding stylist. My palette consisted of colorful eyeshadows and blushes, I painted women's faces and also did wedding updos. I have been painting since childhood; a love for drawing and painting is in my genes. One day, I decided to exhibit one of my works on social media. Many ladies contacted me, wanting to have my painting in their homes. A year later, I received an offer to illustrate Andersen's Fairy Tales. And that's how my adventure and new career began.
You love fashion, you run your fashion and lifestyle Instagram @monamoontoutch – where do you get your inspiration?
I am an artistic soul but quite down-to-earth; some say that these don't go together... Perhaps that's why I love contrasts in life, interiors, and painting. That's why one day I paint a landscape on canvas, the next a minimalist black line graphic. I like various styles, I don't stick to just one. Every day I have to create something; it brings me immense joy. A day without taking a photo or creating an illustration, for example, feels incomplete to me. That's also why I run a second Instagram account where I create fashion stylings, show interiors, and places that inspire me.
What inspires you in art? In painting?
In art, I am inspired by everyday life, people, light. I have moments when, for example, while doing ordinary tasks, I suddenly see a place, a picture, an object that I capture in a photo and then on paper or canvas. I am also open to contact with people, I help select paintings for specific interiors, I advise on colors. This is what makes new ideas often arise in my mind, and I don't complain about a lack of inspiration, because life and contact with people are precisely my inspiration.
What inspired you to cooperate with handy lab.? What common ideas connected a talented artist and a brand focused on hand care?
I was inspired to cooperate with handylab by the very idea of a hand care product, as hands are not only a calling card but also my working tool. I know how important their care is in my work. The common ideas are femininity and delicacy.
How does your creative process work and how was the handy lab. product packaging design created?
In my work, it sometimes happens that before I reach for a brush or pencil, I first take a photo of a place or object in different lighting to see its shape and shadows. This was also the case with the handy lab. hands, which I photographed first and then transferred to paper.
What brings you the greatest joy in creating?
Touch is the most authentic form of expressing feelings for me; through it, we can learn a lot about another person. Touch is hands, and hands are touch.