Valerie Parisius: Diarist-Illustrator Profile

Name: Valerie Parisius
Age: 34
City: Amsterdam
Country: The Netherlands
Places travelled: In the past two years I’ve been to Bali, Gili Islands, Singapore, Sumatra, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Borneo, Florida and Curaçao
Education: Accountancy, Business Administration, Fashion & Design

Occupation: Designer, illustrator, travel blogger
Loves: The playful work of Gaudi
Quote: “Often people think ‘I have to get a job,’ as if it is something outside yourself. But a real career, if it is seen as a calling, is something that emerges organically from who you are. Your career is not separate from who you are but a career is an extension of who you are.”
Creative works: ArtisTravel, Valerie Parisius Illustration

What would one find in the pages of your Paperblanks journal?
In my diary you will find my travel illustrations, my daily practice of writing three pages in the morning, sketches of my jewellery and logos, contact info for the friends I make on the road and practical information for my trip. My journal is part of my daily life and I always carry it with me so I never have an excuse not to draw.

Do you have any personal philosophies you’ve come to develop about writing, art, creation or culture?
To me making art is more about getting out of the way so you can create. It’s about the moment that your mind goes still and that you are in a flow. To feel connected with something much larger than yourself and let it move through you. It’s almost like giving birth to something that chooses to come into this world.

Do you have any specific themes you find that you refer back to in your work?
I don’t have specific themes. I draw how I perceive my experiences in an imaginary world and I always surprise myself with the outcome.

No matter what type of creative art you make, what or who first inspired you to make it an essential part of your life?
Sandra Dieckmann‘s illustrations opened a window of possibility in me, knowing that art doesn’t have to be serious and that one can make a living out of it.

How did you find Paperblanks?
A friend gave me a Paperblanks mini for my birthday six years ago.

What sets Paperblanks apart from other journals you’ve used?
The Paperblanks covers are a work of art themselves. Most of the jobs I’ve landed so far came from people approaching me when I was drawing in my journal. So obviously my journal is the core of my business and Paperblanks is a beautiful way to present my work.

Do you have a favourite Paperblanks design?
My favourite design is the Grolier Ornamentali. It looks like a book full of mysteries and it’s a great icebreaker.

Do you have any advice for other creative people?
I always used to be a perfectionist. Often the harsh critic in me dismissed my work or ideas before I could complete them or even get started. What I learned from a quote by Julia Cameron is that “Perfectionism doesn’t believe in practice shots. It doesn’t believe in improvement. Perfectionism has never heard that anything worth doing is worth doing badly – and that if we allow ourselves to do something badly we might in time become quite good at it.” Now I’m having fun in the process without focusing so much on the outcome and I’m being more productive because of it.