Illustrated Autobiography

Illustrated Autobiography is a course for adults who have the courage and desire to look at themselves in the mirror.

In each session, we will analyze the biographies of various artists, draw inspiration from paintings, and explore many illustrated books. Whether or not you can draw is not important; what matters is curiosity and the willingness to challenge yourself. Through creative writing and drawing exercises, both individual and group-based, we will learn to loosen our hands (and minds!) and find our unique way of telling our stories.
During a guided journey through our memories, we will understand how important it is, from time to time, to take a moment to reflect on who we used to be.
Meeting after meeting, we will see how remembering who we once were is a very effective way to truly discover who we are today.

Course duration: 4 sessions of 3 hours each or an immersive one-day format
Target: Curious individuals willing to take on the challenge (artistic background not mandatory). Also suitable as a school activity for middle or high school students.
Number of participants: Minimum 4, maximum 10

Here are some reviews collected from past editions of the course:

“Ilaria’s Autobiography course was a dive into the past, being able to fish out memories, bring them to light, and give them new life through drawing and writing was like having your past self in front of you, so you could comfort her and tell her that everything is okay!
Meeting the biographies of other wonderful women was enriching and overwhelming, and the empathy created was a source of safety in exposing ourselves and feeling welcomed.” A. C.

“It’s not always easy to talk about oneself, but trying to do it initially through drawing helped me a lot. Even bringing bits of my story and present to the group gradually became easier because from the first meeting, a very welcoming and safe environment for sharing was created in the group, and no participant hesitated to share even very delicate parts of their experiences with others. Ilaria is a very competent teacher, always clear and attentive in discussing the books and albums she brought to provide us with reference and inspiration. But what made her an important reference point in this course is her ability to deeply empathize with the people she works with: I appreciated that from the beginning, she chose not to distance herself excessively from the group, participating in the sharing of personal thoughts and anecdotes.” M. P.

“Dear Ilaria, thank you for the course you proposed and which I participated in with increasing pleasure. You managed to create an empathetic and engaging atmosphere and at the same time rich in information and insights that show your expertise in the field of books and illustrations. It’s not easy to talk about one’s life and illustrate it, but with your help, everything was simple.” M. L.