My essentials: Silvana Camilleri’s cultural picks

1. Book

It would have to be Artists: Their Lives and Works by Ross King. It is an extraordinary reference book of over 80 famous painters, their lives, their loves, and their iconic paintings. This book includes insightful biographies of artists accompanied with remarkable reproductions of their famous artworks. It begins with the early Renaissance and continues goes through different movements through time until it gets to well-known artists who are still alive today.

2. Film

Honestly, I am more into series than films. Recently I am watching Stranger Things, it’s a fiction drama. However, as far as films go, I’m a bit of a romantic and a passionate person, so I’ll say the Notebook. An elderly man was telling a story from a notebook to a fellow nursing home resident. This lady had dementia and she was not aware that the story told was about her and this elderly man that once were truly in love with each other in the 1940s.

3. Internet

I mostly use the internet for emails, TikTok, Instagram and Facebook where I post my art and search for others. Browsing on internet gives me the freedom to explore, learn and get ideas of what would next to do. Honestly, I prefer using the internet and social media over watching TV. You can reach the outside world from the comfort of your own home.

4. Music

I can’t live without it. While painting I always play classic musical, it helps me relax and concentrate while I’m working. I don’t have a particular genre, I truly love all kinds of music, it just depends on my moods and what I am doing. In my lifestyle I’ve been in two choirs, when I was young, I used to sing at the Zejtun church choir, and recently I spent nine years at the Joy Gospel Choir based in St. Lucia. Music has always been a part of my life and will always be.

5. Place

I love to travel to see nature: mountains, rivers, things we don’t have locally. I’ve been to Kent as well as Ireland. Most recently I went to Exeter but I’ve also travelled to Greece, Cyrus, Passau and Berchtesgaden. One of my favourite trips is when we travelled by car from Sicily to Switzerland and spent an entire month. I don’t waste my time shopping when I’m travelling. The next trip I’m looking forward is Scotland hopefully!