Giulia Neri: From Psychology to Full-Time Illustration

Giulia Neri, born in Bologna in 1979, lives and works in Brunico, South Tyrol. After graduating from the Istituto Statale d'Arte di Bologna in painting and studying at the Accademia di Belle Arti, she abandoned drawing to study psychology, earning a degree and four years of specialization in cognitive-constructivist psychotherapy. In 2013, her passion for color returned, leading her to become a full-time illustrator. Her work is introspective, evocative, and musical, created primarily in digital media. She cites Mattotti, Adami, and Hopper as key influences. Neri works mainly through metaphors and similitudes; for editorial assignments she notes key concepts and assembles images, while personal works start from a feeling. She describes the Italian illustration scene as increasingly prominent in publishing and advertising, though she anticipates cycles where photography or stock images may dominate for economic reasons. Current projects include a book due in October and two major exhibitions in Italy. The interview was conducted by Roberta Vanali and published in Artribune Magazine #73.