Artist

marie-laure cruschi

Shapesome, colourful, fascinating, and instructive. In her numerous illustrations for the press, books, shops, and brands, Marie-Laure Cruschi – better known as Cruschiform – proves that the richness of form in our world can be depicted in countless beautiful facets. Why she never stops learning thereby, she tells us in our interview.

The Sturgheons: Marie-Laure, can you please tell us a little bit about yourself: who are you, where are you from, what do you do?

Marie-Laure Cruschi: I was born in 1983 in France, in a small town at the foot of the Cévennes National Park. At the age of 15 I entered a school of Applied Arts, then at 18 I left my native region to go to Paris to train in printmaking in 2 prestigious schools, the Estienne school and the school of Decorative Arts. I then started my career as an art director in a visual communication agency specialized in luxury. Then in 2007 I founded my Studio Cruschiform, in order to devote myself to projects closer to my favorite territory: illustration. Today I articulate my time between press illustration, advertising, cultural communication and youth publishing.

Did you always like to draw? So, can one say that you have made your passion your profession?

Since I was a teenager, when I entered the school of Applied Arts, I always knew that I was meant to work in this field. I loved to draw, but I didn't particularly want to be an artist. I liked to work from an order, specifications or rules of the game. I didn't see in what other territory I could have blossomed so much. Even in more difficult times, at the very beginning of my career, when I didn't have enough clients ... nor enough orders to project me into the future, it was obvious, it was just a matter of patience and perseverance.

How did you came to work as the art director and illustrator named Cruschiform?

I founded my Studio Cruschiform in order to welcome artistic collaborations on multidisciplinary projects. The aim was to maintain my knowledge in graphic design and the transversal view I had acquired when I worked in a communication agency, within a structure closer to my convictions. But the need to create by myself and to be at the heart of creation remained stronger than I was. As time went by, I gained recognition mainly for my know-how in illustration. So I started signing illustrations for the press, while developing in parallel projects for illustrated books for young people. Today I have the pleasure to work again for various communication agencies but this time as a freelance artist and DA.

"Cruschi" is obviously your last name. And "form" – is it a reminiscence of a preference for geometric forms?

That's right. Originally, Cruschiform was conceived as a multifunctional workshop, a small laboratory of elementary forms in which I experimented with various graphic mechanics articulated at the border of 4 domains: Art / illustration / typography / graphic design. Hence the reference to the cross-headed screwdriver. It's a play on words. Even if today my field of expertise has become illustration, I still like everything that has to do with the experimentation of graphic constraints, with the modulation of languages and shapes ...

With which attributes would you describe your work?

I would describe myself as a cerebral / intuitive / persevering / passionate person. And I would describe my work as dreamy / colourful / geometric. I try to find a balance between strength and gentleness, between discipline and sensitivity. But I lack a bit of hindsight to give a synthetic vision of it. 

Where do you get your inspirations from?

What inspires me every day are plays of light, colour contrasts, geometric lines and graphic rhythms that I can encounter in architecture as well as in nature. Everything is a source of inspiration, even the smallest details of our world. And this "sensitive eye" that I try to maintain on a daily basis, is for me a formidable tool for extracting myself from the ordinary.

How did you find your own style in illustrations?

To be honest I don't think I found my style but rather that it imposed itself on me. When you're a commercial artist, it's the commissions that define your style as much as your own universe. It is the result of a series of fruitful encounters, stimulating experiments, exciting commissions, fulfilling collaborations etc., which have gradually allowed me to express myself with even more conviction, passion and freedom on diverse and varied projects. A "style" is not created in a day, it is the result of a lot of hard work.

Which motifs or figures do you prefer to draw and why?

I like patterns with marked lines of force, sharp angles alternating with curves. When I was working on the illustrations for Cabins, I liked to work with the graphic rhythm of the fir trees, which I approached as if I were cutting paper from the mass of foliage. I think I still enjoy working with plant volumes, forests, hills and mountains, even if I tend to abandon geometry for more fluidity and sensuality.

What equipment do you work with? Any must-haves?

I mainly work on the graphic palette on the computer. I bought a large 22-inch film a couple of years ago, at a time when I was torn between digital and the desire to return to traditional techniques. I don't regret it because it has allowed me to develop my work, to gain in fluidity, in gestures and to find manual drawing even more.

Is there an artist, an illustrator or someone else who has an influence on what you draw or on your creative process?

I never know how to answer this question because I have many influences that vary with each project. I couldn't list them all.

Do you prefer freelance work or commission work? And what is important on a project for you?

Before specializing in illustration, I was trained in various applied arts professions such as design, styling, architecture, graphic design etc. ... It was a very formative time, which forged my DNA. That of an artist applied to the industry, answering to specifications in order to offer his client the most accurate answer to his expectations. Constraints give rise to freedoms and I find that very fulfilling. I continue to love this part of the job because it opens me up to collaboration, teamwork and invites me to think about subjects that I might not have addressed on my own. Nevertheless, it is vital for me to have time to work on more personal projects in which I regain my independence and invest all my convictions. This time allows me to find my breath when I feel that I am beginning to suffocate on the work of commissioning.

Is there a theme you always wanted to illustrate or a job you are still waiting for?

Houlala! There's plenty! In publishing, there are several themes that I'm keen to develop in a children's album: underwater bioluminescence, plant-animal co-evolution, biomimicry, animal migration, our relationship to time and growth ... full of subjects that are rich in teaching about nature! 

As far as the job is concerned, there are plenty of luxury brands and craftsmen with whom I dream of collaborating on transversal projects mixing image, space and object in volume. I dream of touching again engraving, wooden toys, textiles, ceramics and even stained glass.

Which of your works so far are you particularly the most proud of and why?

Oh it's difficult! Let's say there are two. Cabins and Colorama. 

The book Cabins is one of my best work experiences. Although it is a commissioned work, I found great fulfillment and a strong professional recognition. In this important collection of architecture, I offer a sensitive, rich and diversified panorama of more than 60 architectural jewels in their natural setting.

Colorama, is my 4th album signed as author-illustrator. It's a very demanding project that has been spread over almost 4 years and has proved that wonder is the basis of curiosity and that the desire for knowledge can be awakened at any age thanks to a simple and sensitive structure, mixing playful, didactic and poetic. Every colour is a window to the world! And this book has conquered a wide public.

What aspect of your work makes you the happiest? Any advice for people who are looking for more happiness in everyday life?

I would say that when I work on my books, I am driven by the desire for knowledge and transmission. It is very gratifying to perceive the wonder awakening in the reader. I feel like I'm doing my part.

In terms of illustration work in general, I believe it is essential for a creator to renew, explore, experiment, surprise himself, maintain his curiosity ... Movement is life. When you gain recognition for a part of your work, it is easy to relax and rest on what you have learned. The hardest part is staying awake.

What are your next topics / projects?

My next documentary book is a botanical album, entitled "L'odyssée des graines" (The Seed Odyssey). I am interested in the functional design of nature, especially in the world of seeds. I question their formal diversity, and the form-function relationship that underlies it. Because in nature nothing is done at random. Whether hairy, winged, hooked, tiny or monumental, each seed contains the story of an extraordinary journey where nature's creativity reigns supreme. In this book, I hope to be able to share my admiration for nature by placing myself behind the teaching it can transmit to us. I put aside my ego as an artist-illustrator, to bring out his creative power.

What is the most beautiful spot in Paris (or in France) for you?

In France, it is of course the Cévennes National Park, where I come from, haha! R. L. Stevenson (the author of Treasure Island) depicted my original homeland in his time, into his famous book "Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes". Classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these landscapes consist of low mountain ranges crossed by deep gorges and dominated by large ridges. I go back there very regularly for inspiration. I find there a simple life, wild nature and silence that allow me to purge myself of the frenetic buzz of Parisian life. I have a lot of tenderness for this native land.

Afterwards, France abounds in beautiful landscapes, from the Camargue, through the Calanques of the French Riviera, the Verdon gorges, the Drôme Provençale, the Vercors mountains and the Albatre coast of course, which inspired the impressionist painters in their time ...

www.cruschiform.com

France, July 2020. | Interview by The Sturgheons with Marie-Laure Cruschi. | Illustrations by Marie-Laure Cruschi.