Why Sonia Botezatu’s Family Are Her Creative Heroes

Raised by the seaside with shells in her pockets and always up for building a sandcastle, Sonia has always seeked the fun in any situation and kept an eye out for the uncommon.

She is a Dubai-based art director, but she juggles art and architecture, illustration, photography, music (and occasionally dance, she insists). She doesn’t remember what being bored feels Iike - maybe because every project is an opportunity to look for inspiration in another apparently unrelated place, to spark new perspectives.

LBB> Who would you say is your creative hero?

Sonia> I find it hard to do a shout-out about one person when I operate on a daily basis being inspired by a bunch of people.

A hero to me is someone who I look up to. Who I’d often think about what they would do in my situation. Someone I can’t get enough of, and they surprise me with one thing after the other, waiting to see their next move. Someone I respect for their view on life, ethics and courage. I really didn't have to look far, they’re right here—my family.

LBB> How long has this person been important to you and what are your first memories of meeting them or coming across their work?

Sonia> It's safe to say that I've enjoyed my heroes' work ever since I can remember. As a kid, navigating through a home full of different forms of art shaped me in ways that I still carry with me.

This environment I grew up in and continue to grow in became this entity that I call my creative hero.

Mom and dad met at work, while doing commercial design for tourism in an '80s Constanta, a seaside city in Romania. In no time their designs (shop and window display, interior, furniture, clothing and textile) changed the face of my hometown. Seeing glimpses of this settles in a nostalgia for an era I didn't even experience.

Between the two of them, the disciplines are so vast: painting, architecture, teaching, photography, design in many forms, and advertising. And speaking of advertising and photography, my brother has been involuntarily shifting my interest towards this field simply through his amazing work, even before I knew the ABCs of it. To throw in some cinematography on top of advertising, my husband exchanged advertising for film years ago; witnessing the complexity of bringing stories to life is something truly fascinating.

LBB> If it’s someone you know, how did you get to know them and how has your relationship evolved over the years? If you don’t know this person, how did you go about finding to learn more about them and their work?

Sonia> As I figure out myself how things work, perspectives change, and the way I perceive their accomplishments shifts and admiration only grows. I saw first hand how much effort, talent and education goes behind impressive projects.

With a deep sense of belonging and a healthy dose of roasting always in the air, my creative and emotional sides are fuelled by our every hangout, heated discussion and moments of comfortable silence.

LBB> Why is the person such an inspiration to you?

Sonia> The hero stands in what I see in each person that inspires me.

Dad's architecture background made me curious and passionate enough to go pursue this myself in high school and college. His methodical way of approaching any project—from a poster, to the most delicate watercolour, to a whole exhibition, to renovating the house himself - taught me to try and see a few steps ahead.

Mom's boundless imagination helped me gain different perspectives on the most mundane things. Experimenting with techniques, themes and teaching methods gave me and her students a glimpse of what 'out of the box' means. Not to mention that the clothes I 'stole' from her—some made by grandma—are still turning heads.

My brother's flawless work speaks for itself, but he always shares his big-picture, one-step-ahead twisted insights (it started decades ago with efforts of gently telling me how Santa is not real, the one thing that did not go well). He's always up to something.

And because I'm my brother's sister, I found a calm and collected one to be by my side—my husband. He brings that familiar peace which feels like home - through his talent, way of dealing with my mischief, his morals, people he chooses, and constant curiosity. The discipline and clarity he operates on in the most tense moments is inspiring and, luckily for both of us, contagious.

LBB> How does this person influence you in your approach to your creative work?

Sonia> My house back home was not your usual 'comfy', always changing, always transforming based on our needs as a family and individuals. Shifting things around to accommodate painting, crafting, teaching, music, architecture prep. Many things were designed/built by dad. Somehow made room for a baby grand piano. Never had an empty wall, yet a wardrobe was also full of paintings. This is peace for me.

I never got the chance to get bored or overly comfortable with a setting. By the time that happened, we would turn the whole place around.

As expected, my interests are scattered all over the place. I love that. I catch my mind racing, trying to decide which one I should pick on next. Sometimes that takes half the time. But there's always something.

The diversity of these gathered and inherited disciplines has sparked connections between them and I'm always seeking new ways to broaden the palette of possibilities. Great, now the disciplines are having babies and make it even harder to pick.

Above 'Hunger Plates' for United Nations World Food Programme

Illustrators - Catalin Botezatu, Eugenia Leca Botezatu

Photography and Postproduction - Daniel Botezatu / Litematter

Left : “By the Sea” by Eugenia Leca Botezatu. Right: “Plate of Cherries” by Catalin Botezatu

'Beneath a Sea of Lights'

Director of Photography - Umran Shaikh

Poster: Photography and Postproduction - Daniel Botezatu / Litematter

LBB> What piece or pieces of this person’s work do you keep coming back to and why?

Sonia> Together, my heroes remind me that art is not just an occupation, but a way of life.

And just like crossover episodes, they collaborated with each other. Just to name a few, my parents and my brother were part of the team, along with Cheil MENA Dubai, for the United Nations World Food Programme - 'Hunger Plates', and my brother supported on my husband's feature film Beneath a Sea of Lights.

Being away from part of the family and the house full of wonderful work is not easy. Even though it gave me the opportunity to create my own home and setting, still something was missing. So I “snatched” two of my favourite paintings: Mom’s 'By the Sea' and Dad’s 'Plate of Cherries' that hold a great place in my heart.

They say you can’t choose your family. True, but this is proof that, if given the chance, we would’ve.