Simone Piras comes from the poorest province in Italy and has never stopped painting toward it. The work is built on listening, on the stories of people who helped shape a life and a sensibility, on the colors of a homeland carried into travel diaries, watercolors, and portraits that reach across borders and prejudices. The decision to commit fully to painting came in the wake of loss, a solo trip to Poland after the death of both grandparents in the same month, and a quiet reckoning with regret. What followed was not a dramatic reinvention but a clear and deliberate choice: to say something, and to say it loudly enough to matter. What follows is a conversation about what that commitment looks like in practice, and why telling stories remains the one thing that cannot be given up.

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How has your upbringing or cultural heritage shaped the themes and techniques you explore in your art today?

I come from what was, for many years, the poorest province in Italy. My family has always instilled in me a love for the little things, a deep connection to the land where I live, and a sense of freedom despite hardship. Today, through my painting, I tell the stories of the people who helped me leave that province behind; I paint using the colours of my homeland and continue to seek out stories worth telling. I want to listen, just as others once listened to me.

Can you pinpoint a single moment in your life when you realized art was not just a passion but your purpose?

I lost both my grandparents in April 2018. After their deaths, I set off for Poland on my own and reflected on how many regrets they had carried throughout their lives — regrets they had always spoken to me about so gently. But I felt it was too soon to stop believing in painting, and that I truly had something to say and wanted to shout it out loud. I wanted to give it a try and avoid regretting at least that part of my life. For now, I’m very happy with how things are going.

How does your art engage with or comment on pressing contemporary issues—social, political, or environmental?

Through my painting, I often explore the challenges faced by my generation, such as loneliness and the difficulty of finding true love. I also address the stereotypes and prejudices that we in the West tend to project onto Eastern countries through my travel diaries and watercolours, showcasing their history and ways of life.

How do you challenge yourself to continually grow as an artist while remaining true to your voice?

Whenever I realise I’m in a comfort zone, I try to step outside of it, even if only briefly, to see whether my colours and words can reach other people — even if that means risking everything I’ve built so far. It’s important for me to constantly challenge myself and seek out new inspiration.

How do you feel social media is shaping the way art is created, consumed, and valued today?

I believe that social media mainly influences the aesthetics of artworks. Unfortunately, some artists create according to what goes viral, without taking the time to develop and discover their own artistic and stylistic direction. It often feels as though artists create for social media rather than from a genuine personal need. We need to be careful not to fall into the trap of chasing virality too soon, but instead allow things to develop naturally over time. Social media should be our friend — a window to the world — not our bubble.

How do you envision the evolution of your work in the coming years?

To be honest, I don’t know, and I’m quite curious to find out. At the moment, I can’t say whether my career as an illustrator or as a painter will take precedence, or whether the two will continue to go hand in hand as they do now. All I know is that I won’t stop telling stories, whether they’re about my own life or someone else’s — I simply enjoy it too much.

Are there any upcoming projects or dreams that you’re particularly excited about?

I’m currently working on my first picture book and collaborating with a fantastic writer. Her words have truly resonated with me, and the illustrations and colours that accompany them have come to me with an almost uncanny ease. I dream of continuing to travel and bringing my drawings to different mediums beyond paper and canvas. For example, I’d love to work with ceramics and paint on vases. I would also love to spend some time in Japan studying ceramics.

What kind of legacy do you hope to leave in the art world?

I truly hope to leave behind a lasting impression of the people and experiences that have shaped my life. I would like to show that painting can still be a powerful form of communication, while remaining timelessly gentle and captivating. Through my paintings and artistic journey, I genuinely want to remind people how a simple act, such as looking at a work of art, can move our hearts.