In Issue 19 of Flow International, illustrator and printmaker Francesca Iannaccone tells us what she is up to. On our blog, she tells us more about her Instagram project #frannysdrawstagrams, a parody in illustrations.
“In the summer of 2015, I counted seventeen recipes for elderflower cordial in my Instagram feed in one week,” Francesca says. “All with the same items featured—and I’m not just talking about the edible ingredients, but the props too: the crumpled linen, the handcrafted spoon, the sprig from the garden, a sprinkling of icing sugar carefully scattered on the rustic table. And the language was just as flowery. They hadn’t ‘picked flowers’, they had ‘gathered blooms’. My illustrating Instagram parodies #frannysdrawstagrams began with the homemade elderflower cordial and has continued through the seasons with the vacation packing list (including drawing many Saltwater sandals), the autumn berry gathering, and the Christmas wreath making.”
Have you received nice comments regarding this project?
“Yes, people seem to really like the drawstagrams, as illustrations in their own, but also because they recognize them. They are a homage—maybe a little gentle tease, but never snarky. I would love other illustrators to join me. It’s already a long hashtag though, how about #frannysdrawstagramfriends?”
Do you spend a lot of time on Instagram?
“I have a love/hate relationship with it. Occasionally I will go through a phase when I post every day, but I can’t keep up with that, and the pressure that artists have to constantly post new work is too much sometimes. I’m also aware that smartphones are very anti-social so I’m strict with myself: I never have it at the table and I’m really strict with my kids. For me there’s nothing sadder than kids staring at a tiny screen. So, I have to lead by example. It’s a tool for work, but there are many other tools and you should take it all with a pinch of salt.”
Do you want to read more about Francesca?
You can read the interview in Issue 19. Or visit her website to see more of her work.
