Dorotea Cimino, SiciliaDipinta travels the world
She has art in her Dna. This is the beginning of the story of Dorotea Cimino, a Sicilian artist, who grew up among colors and brushes. She graduated from the Cefalù Art Institute and inherited from her parents the ability to turn nature and what surrounds her into painted emotions. In 2009 she created the first jewels in polymer clay inspired by the traditions of Sicily, thus her brand SiciliaDipinta came about. Sicilian Secrets interviewed her.
Q: Thanks to your parents’ job, you were born and raised surrounded by art. When did you realize that this would also be your future?
A: To be born into a family of artists gave me a special way of seeing the world. It was easy to choose what to study. To understand what I wanted to become and how to use this ‘gift’ was something crucial for me.
Q: Wearable art: this is the philosophy of your work. How did the idea of jewelry come about?
A: I wanted to find something that would bring joy not only in making it – for me – but also in seeing it worn by other people. I tried several techniques until one day a couple of tourists who was visiting my shop, told me that it would have been nice to wear a painting and always carry it with you. In that moment, I had idea to create some artistic jewels, 100% hand-painted.
Q: You live in Cefalù, one of the most beautiful and well-known places in Sicily. How much does this city affect your work? Is it a source of inspiration?
A: Cefalù has always been a great source of inspiration, I love walking, observe the Sicilian nature and draw all the ideas that I collect.
Q: Dorotea Cimino and Sicily: what does your land and being Sicilian means to you?
A: Sicily is joy, color and passion. Traditions, culture and beauty of the cities with their monuments fascinate me. Being Sicilian makes me proud, I am happy to be part of this magnificent island that never stops to amaze me.
Q: What are the jewels you made and love the most?
A: Nowadays, after 13 years full of many ideas that I turned into jewels, I don’t know how to choose which is my favorite article, each one is different and has some unique characteristics because they came about thanks to feelings or a moment of my life that I have communicated through brushstrokes. I love lemons, the first Sicilian themed pieces I made. Over time they have remained unchanged maintaining a special meaning, that of the beauty and essence of this fruit that in Sicily is fundamental in almost all foods. I also like Sicilian majolica, hence the symbol of the logo I chose for SiciliaDipinta. They are characterized by colors and designs that take us back to the past, in those houses that smell of typical dishes and family joviality.
Q: Do you have any curious anecdotes to tell us about your job?
A: One of the best anecdotes is related to…prickly pears. Every time I make them, I think about my childhood, when my father taught me how to draw thorns. To make me understand, he told me: “When the Lord created prickly pears, when it was time of putting the thorns in, he did not do it casually, he designed them with precision and a lot of care”. So, from that day on, I smile thinking about that funny anecdote that taught me a lot.
Q: Is there any famous person you would like to see wearing your jewels?
A: My jewels travel around the world, it’s something I love because it means to have the power to discover our planet through my art. Many people send me photos of their holidays wearing the jewelry purchased in my shop, it’s an immense pride for me. I would like to see one of my jewels worn by a famous person, even if for me the most important thing is to see it worn by someone who has a deep bond with Sicily.
Q: If we open the ‘dream box’ of Dorotea Cimino, what can we see inside? What are your projects for the future?
A: The future is something that I shape day by day, I like to imagine my products around all Sicilian cities. My secret dream is to reach many different locations in the five continents thanks to my jewels: some of them are already in Australia, some others in America and tomorrow who knows what other places they will see!
