lifestyle reboot

Artist and illustrator Chiara Perano on challenging herself, how her childhood shapes her work and making the leap to leave London

- BUSOLA EVANS

For seven years, Chiara Perano ran a successful stationery and calligraphy studio, Lamplighter, where she worked with luxury brands such as Burberry, Hermes and Liberty. But after having her daughter in 2018, she decided to create illustrative artwork inspired by southern Italy where she spent much of her childhood. Her collection now includes wall hangings and decorative vases and tiles. Chiara lives in St Leonards-on-Sea in East Sussex with her husband and three-year-old daughter, and is expecting her second child.

How has work and life changed in the last year?

Life has changed immeasurably for me, we made the decision to leave Leytonstone, east London, and live by the sea. We were very rooted in London but the pandemic and other personal reasons gave us the option to take the leap, and I haven’t looked back.