Salvatore Bellavista

What drives you to create?

It started as something I needed to do—something within me—and it always comes knocking again when I have something in particular to express. Other times, I simply improvise, letting my thoughts go. More often than not, something positive and therapeutic comes from it. Of course, work plays a part too, but no matter what, I try to share my own perspective on things.

What inspires you?

I’ve struggled socially since I was a child—I didn’t talk much, I just observed. Something lit up inside me one summer I spent with my sculptor aunt. She noticed my interest in painting and gave it importance. Together, we discovered that I could communicate what I wanted through that medium—and more. If I was interested before, after that summer I never stopped trying to express what I feel. Nature is central to my vision.

How do you bring your works to life?

I need to be in my comfort zone, ideally—though of course, it depends on the type of work I’m doing. If I’m illustrating, all I need is my sketchbook, the lights off with just one lamp by my desk, and either silence or music in my headphones. A few breaths with my eyes closed, a shiver—and then I start. If I’m painting, I need natural light and a lot of space. Everything must be tidy and ready, even tools I might not use. Once I start, I don’t want to waste a moment—I go straight in, especially when I’m painting murals with spray cans. I won’t go into detail about the materials I use—they’re too many, and often used in unconventional ways. If I’m tattooing, that’s a different story. The artwork takes on a life of its own—it changes over time, but it gains value. It’s emotional and intimate. I admit, I sometimes get goosebumps because a tattoo doesn’t just leave a mark under the skin.