A self-proclaimed autodidact, Italian illustrator Rachele Amadori discovered her craft through a slow process of experimentation and research. Inspired by music and the images it can generate, for her, drawing is a continuous attempt to peel back the layers of any given story. Through her work, she strives to offer a space where others can recognise themselves, even momentarily, “I like to think that we are all connected and that an image, a song, a photo or any other artistic output can activate multiple emotions in the viewer.”

Rachele’s use of line-work acts as a thread that binds her pieces regardless of subject matter. Through this intricate style, she demonstrates how the simplicity of lines can build shape, texture and shade. It also indicates a journey; the meditative process of repetition documents the transformation of emotional states. “Often a shadow more accentuated than another is used to bring out that depth of emotion,” she added.

When it comes to process, each piece varies, “sometimes, I immediately have a message I want to communicate,” she explains, “other times, I visualise ‘orders’; colours, schemes or graphics that seem to share an expression that I want to clarify visually.” Like poetry, she views her illustrations as a game of understanding, albeit one with multiple readings. Rachele joined Cluster for the opportunity to meet other artists and create a dialogue and network, “being with people from different nationalities gives me a space to understand how my art can be understood from international perspectives.”

Currently, she is working on a social project called Tassello in which instagram users can send her a story, memory or feeling that she will then draw. “I love listening to stories and turning them into illustrations,” she told us, “when I finish each piece, I present it to the person who inspired it.” Got a story to share? Send Rachele a message through her Instagram for the chance to be selected.

Grace Terry found her stride as an illustrator after studying Visual Communication at Suspi, Lugano. It was here where she became privy to the rich and numerous worlds within the visual arts, from  design and photography to cinema. Inspired by her personal life, her work began as a cathartic process through which to process difficult experiences. “When I set out to draw something,” she explains, “I have to pass through many emotions – but in the end I always reach something new inside of me, almost like a new awareness.”

Similarly, her illustrations employ the use of repetition and fine lines to create both form and shadow. For Grace, the meditative quality of linework is akin to accessing the subconscious, a technique that lets the mind flow freely. Using only black and white, the simplicity and precision of her work draws the viewer into a trance state free from distraction – it also lends her illustrations an urban, street-art feel. “If I could show my work anywhere, it would be as street art,” she added.

She begins each piece by selecting a subject, from there, she starts to visualise this figuratively, playing with symbolism along the way. Like Rachele, she sets up a game through each illustration, inserting patterns and hidden words, such is her trademark. “With Cluster, I feel appreciated. Before, it wasn’t always easy as many people didn’t understand my work. Now, by sharing it with other creative people, I feel proud and motivated.” At the moment, Grace is planning a new series based on faces with the intention of studying human emotion and self-recognition.