While my collaboration with Rocco on one of his books continued, the search for artists as part of the project also progressed. One of the positive aspects of social media lies in its ability to foster connections. Thus, in late December 2019, while we were in Italy, we went to meet Ester Crocetta, an artist residing in Loreto Aprutino, in the region of Abruzzo.
In 1929, Hernest Hemingway wrote in his book ‘A Farewell to Arms’: “L’Aquila is truly beautiful. The summer nights are refreshing, and there is no more splendid springtime in all of Italy… It is unnecessary to carry food with you: the peasants are happy if you accept their offer to eat.” Well, these words encapsulate the essence of what makes Abruzzo so special to me. I was raised in a land characterized by its generous and tenacious spirit, where the beauty of the landscape intertwines with the soul of the Abruzzese people, capable of unexpected hospitality.
With this generous and hospitable spirit, we were welcomed by Ester, who, in a matter of minutes, created an unforgettable afternoon. Thanks to her and Renato Mariotti, the current mayor of Loreto, we had the opportunity to visit the Olive Oil Museum, the marvelous Chiola Castle, and other precious places that serve as a reminder of our own roots. There are numerous things to share and behold. We returned on January 5th, 2020, before heading back to Canada, and we had the chance to visit the Soccer Museum (it was under construction at that time), a church with a particularly unique painting, and the Acerbo Museum of Castelli’s Ceramics. However, that is another story… Just as the creation of the label for winemaker Loriano DiSabatino’s wine is another tale. We have a limited number of bottles in honour of the centennial of Federico Fellini’s birth…
But who is Ester Crocetta? And what is the Chicchiria?

Could you tell me a little bit about your history and how you got into art?
I have a great preference for the colours orange and blue. I feel blue was the first colour to truly inspire me; I love seeing them in contrast. The colour scheme seemed to mirror various facets of my personality. I’m not sure whether I seek contrast or want to resolve it inside myself, but the legacy of my genes and the emotional instability I experienced as a child have developed a kind of “eagerness” in me, which has thankfully found an outlet in painting and the use of colours! It could’ve been much worse!
I have enjoyed playing and painting since I was a child. It was said that I was gifted at it. That’s why I chose the Artistic High School in Penne, which is around 15 kilometres from my house. During my adolescence, I was required to work in my mother’s stationery shop after school. It was an impediment to my freedom, which was already severely restricted in other areas, such as religious considerations, as my father stated. I hail from a big family, with four kids, two grandparents, and several dogs. My parents’ relationship was always stormy, and we kids were always anxious because of my mother’s nervous and restless personality.
My creativity found other ways to be liberated. In the shop, we also sold fine art products such as tubes of oil paint and brushes, which was quite unique in a little inland town many years ago. My mother would buy professional-grade colours for some local residents, whom I now recall with different eyes. Many of the series’ distinctive and odd colours went unsold. So, with brushes and colours in hand, I proceeded to experiment with them without being chastised for wasting them. The first colours I used were dark reds, browns of various shades, many tubes of dark green, and only a few bright colours, including some dark ochre. I gradually began to incorporate some brighter ochre tones, and this is where my desire for contrast began.
My mother also sold various non-fiction and literary books. I wasn’t crazy about reading, but I was intrigued. I would go from one book to the next, only reading what piqued my interest. Baudelaire’s novel”Les Fleurs du Mal” stands out in my mind.
After several years, I discovered blue and fell in love with it. It was the ideal contrast! As a result, my favourite palette emerged: blue, orange, red, and yellow, or the fundamental colours. One of the major external stimuli that pushed me towards art came from a fellow villager who was passionate about archaeology and painting. Mario, whom I remember fondly, even assisted me in obtaining a commissioned artwork for a local restaurant. It was a lovely, emotional time, divided between archaeological excursions and outdoor painting sessions. However, the financial factor weighed severely on my family at the time.
At the age of 23, I entered a piece in a group show in Pescara and was awarded third place in the finals. Surprisingly, the reward consisted of a set of acrylic paints. That is correct! Life has brought moments of artistic inactivity, but like a smouldering fire beneath the ashes, a gust of wind is all it takes to reignite me and blaze towards that crucial and priceless space.
What are your main influences or inspirations as an artist?
Francis Bacon was an artist who really influenced me. I recall stumbling across one of his articles by chance in a scientific magazine intended solely for doctors, which I discovered in the waiting area of my doctor. I was captivated by the fluidity of the brushstrokes and by how he dissolved and yet linked the figure with the environment. The impulse to create art is not motivated by monetary considerations. This could be viewed positively because it provides for unconstrained choices. However, as time passes, you discover that it is not always advantageous and that the burden of choice may be too great for a system that simply reasons through money.
The artist’s position in modern society is vastly different from that of the craftsman artist, who played an essential and valuable role in the community for generations. The importance of art for humanity is arguably undeniable, or at least I hope so, because each nation tackles the subjects of culture and art differently, based on their basic requirements. Speaking from my experience, the situation inItaly is hard. Assume that new artists in Italy are under appreciated and rarely receive direct backing from governmental entities.Occasionally, something sparks, but bureaucratic processes and intermediary bodies discourage good ideas.
I also believe that we Italians like to live in the past; current art is too dissimilar to the plethora of ancient art that surrounds us. The artist’s journey in modern art defines the genuine possibility of recognition. It is based on a collection of works and experiences rather than a single piece. It is a long trip that, without a doubt, transforms the artist over time, while they are only maintained by minor personal satisfactions. Marketing tactics and forms of investment are involved here, which not all artists can afford. It’s identical to any business enterprise that invests, but with measurable results.
In short, very little of the dignity of this practice survives! In this crazy environment, I live day by day, just like art does! Given the technological storm looming over us, this is a time of immense change, particularly emotional upheaval. We are the generation of pathological metamorphosis! Can we expect the essence of art to remain unaffected?Aspirations can be lofty, and the desire to have one’s artistic language recognized and appreciated can be strong, but I am aware that nothing can be spoken definitively, and everything changes and, more so today, is forgotten.
Can you describe your artistic style and the subjects or concepts you like to explore in your work?
Nature, animals, the concept of the environment and synergy with it, the energy and strength of the human being, and their sensuality all inspire me. I experiment with many expressive languages, with a dash of comic book inspiration. Painting is without a doubt the medium that most interests me, but sculpture and video installations are where I discover my forms and narrative technique.In my work, I aim to balance form and concept. In my most recent project, inspired by theatrical actions, I focus on the concept of “animal food,” where I utilize a mask to represent and empathize with the role of animals destined for consumption. My connection to my surroundings is very evident, and I reshape it through art, getting inspiration from local customs and traditions.
What, in your opinion, distinguishes your work from others in your field?
Every artist is the result of a living work, moulded by a variety of familial, social, religious, cultural, and anthropological elements that make them distinctive. Every human being is unique in this regard.Any artistic creation, whether a painting, sculpture, or similar, comes to life and expresses itself because it is loaded with the artist’s emotional baggage. However, only the artist can enrich and add value to it. The difference resides in the artist’s journey and choices made with this goal in mind.

Can you tell me about an artwork or set of artworks that you are particularly proud of or that have special meaning for you?
“Chicchiria Poultry,” the most recent artistic piece, was a long and reflective work. I attempted to remark on a unique environmental issue through painting, sculpture, and installation: the overconsumption of animal products, their waste, and the ensuing lack of synergy with the environment beyond veganism and vegetarianism.
The addition of a further reference to nature through the pods and seeds of the Gleditsia triachantos plant was a distinctive perspective in this setting. This simple and hardy shrub grows quickly, and its pods are utilized as animal feed. Its everyday state, as well as the fact that it was directly in front of my house, prompted reflection and consideration.The Gleditsia triacanthos plant has a distinct biological composition. It has sharp thorns along its entire length, garnering it titles such as “Judas Thorn” or “Christ’s Thorn” in reference to Christ’s crown of thorns. It is a robust, stubborn, intimidating plant full of thorns, but it is also captivating for my reflections.
The pods contain seeds, and when the plant is leafless but still ornamented with hanging pods in late fall, they sway in the wind, making a mesmerizing and captivating sound. This swinging of the pod during its growing period allows it to adopt a shape over time. It becomes twisted and narrow, inexorably influenced by the wind and its birth position on the tree.It was an unconscious work a bout the mechanisms of life’s reproduction. By comparing them to the egg and its symbolism, I came to the concept of sowing.
The seeds of this plant, like many others, have a high reproductive capacity. They can survive intact through the digestive tract and in animal feces, so once on the ground and after passing through another living thing, they can be reborn.

Several artworks in the Chicchiria Poultry series make reference to this plant, such as “Status Natus,” in which an actual seed is inserted inside a sculpture of a blue egg.
The artwork “La natura delle cose/la semina” expresses these ideas as well. It has an actual seed bag attached to it with a clamp. In addition, in the artwork, I reproduce and present two painted white resin pods fastened with magnets to a black background framework. A white mask kept in place by magnets becomes the embodiment and transmutation of feeling like a tree or animal, an artist or viewer of the artwork, encouraging the act of sowing something for others in this artwork.


The artwork “Cibo Sprecato” (Wasted Food) likewise depicts the pod in white resin, with a rooster at the end transforming into a fork. Each of these pieces in the Chicchiria Poultry project has its own relevance and adds to a greater investigation of the interaction between humans, nature, and food.
How is your creative process when working on new artwork or projects?
My process, like my land, is slow. This is a blessing for me. The slowness I seek is about savouring the moment, which gradually arrives at the simplest synthesis, navigating constant doubts and changes of direction, and resolving everything between mind and hand. After layers of colour and brushstrokes, I may, but not always, arrive at my search for identity.
Where have you shown your works in galleries or other venues? If so, could you tell me about past exhibitions?
I was born in Loreto Aprutino and graduated from the Liceo Artisticodi Penne in the Italian region of Pescara. My first group show in Italy was in Pescara in 1996, and my first foreign group exhibition was in Berlin, Germany, in 2009. I had a solo exhibition at the World Art Museum in Beijing, China, in February 2010. In 2013, I had a solo exhibition in Venice at the Biennale, which was followed by a contemporary art fair in Barcelona, at Casa Battlò, in 2014 with participants from all over the world.
In the years thereafter, I’ve been involved in a variety of projects, including working as an art appraiser for the Ministry of Justice in Pescara. I’ve collaborated with authors and publishers on book covers and publications. I’ve also worked as an art designer for numerous wineries in Abruzzo, which led to a cross-cultural project in 2018 at the Italian-American Museum in San Francisco, USA. Since 2018, and for four successive editions until the current one in 2023, I have been commissioned to produce sculptures for the national sports award “Giuseppe Prisco.”
In 2022, I was one of the finalists for the Cairo/Mondadori PublisherArt Award, and my exhibition was held in October at the Palazzo Reale in Milan. I had an artistic residency and a solo exhibition in the centre of Florence in the same year.
What were the primary challenges you had in making your work known, and how did you overcome them?
The period of great difficulties was between 2020 and 2021, during the time of COVID, when the art world came to a grinding halt. During that time, I was planning an exhibition in a gallery in Montreal, Canada! For the first time, I wanted to present my Chicchiria Poultry project. In addition to the exhibition concept, we developed a supportive enocultural framework by presenting the PLASMA WINE/Art Connection project at the same time.
Everything was ready, and contracts were in place, until COVID arrived in Italy. While the rest of the world was unwittingly witnessing the pandemic’s first misfortunes in Italy, the gallery in Montreal and I were in limbo, waiting to understand the progression of events. We postponed the date, which was then postponed again because COVID had already arrived in Canada, and we postponed it yet again because of the ongoing waves of resurgence.
In the end, we had to accept the uncertainty in mid-2021. It was unpleasant for me to have to cancel the event, so I concentrated on planning the show in Italy, which was easier to manage in case of more delays. The Chicchiria Poultry Project was unveiled in Florence in April 2022.
However, my ambition to see Canada has not vanished. Surely, there will be future opportunities to explore an exhibition in this magnificent country.
Are you working on any future projects or exhibitions that you 'd like to share with us?
My current project is named “The Nature of Flowers.” Flowers are the physical and figurative inspiration for that series of paintings and sculptures, bringing a sexual and erotic dimension to their undeniable beauty.
What advice would you provide to young people interested in pursuing a career in the arts?
What are the three most important instruments they need to always carry with them in order to succeed?
- Live in the moment, giving your creativity voice and colour to everyday life.
- Be truthful with yourself, identifying your desires while maintaining your artistic uniqueness and inner harmony.
- Consider external influences to be interesting challenges to which you may bring your own unique individuality.
How do you envision your artwork changing or evolving in the future?
When I look at my old artwork, I can see the difference. New thoughts, new experiences, and new emotional and intellectual approaches I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a terrible thing. Then I assume it’s just the way things are. Art is a live, evolving process—woe to us if it wasn’t! Because art is the reservoir of human emotions, it would imply that we have become sterile and indifferent.
Finally, where can people find more of your artwork or keep up with your current projects and exhibitions?
My social media profiles are active on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, in addition to the blog on my website at estercrocetta.it. And if anyone happens to be in Abruzzo, particularly Loreto Aprutino, I am happy to welcome visitors to my studio to view my work. It will be easy to connect in our globalized and technological world!