What is it like to be an artist on the French Riviera? Interview with Anca Irina Lefter

Please let our readers know more about the artist Anca Irina Lefter, in a few lines!

I'm a new fashion designer and conceptual artist on the French Riviera selling bags under the brand A.I.L.(my name's initials). I love to create and to translate the story of my clients in unique leather bags and leather accessory lines. I listen to the story, I draw and I propose the materials and then order them specially for each clients. Of course, I have a secret for them that I keep inside the bag. Each bag has the name of the client and signature in liquid gold.  
You can go and see the designer's collection at Vallauris gallery, L'Entree des Artistes, 12 Rue du State, next to Picasso's Museum. The exhibition takes place till October 2nd where will be the closing event in the presence of the artists, Anca Irina Lefter, Sabina Leganaru and Kira Hagi, the well-knwon Romanian football player's daughter. 

When I don't do bags, I follow my imagination, I paint. For example, after dreaming for one year about a way to make people connect with their hearts and remember the powers of nature, I came up with the series of Portal Art Experience.

Tell us about your art concept and your Portal Immersion collection!

My immersive art experience named Portal has a lot of magic, it's an art healing experience using the 5 elements ( Air, Earth, Water, Fire and Magnetism). It's a travel, a personal journey, an introspection, a way to connect with your heart and express your feelings in colors and discover that you are unique, but a part of the beautiful planet. 

You had an exhibition at an art gallery in Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival, with a new collection called Red Carpet! How was your experience in Cannes? What was the feedback? What have you learnt from it? 

Yes, I made a special collection with the soundtracks of the movies, winners of the Cannes Film Festival. I listened to the music with my friend Georges Gondard,  the French composer with whom I made the exhibition Portal Space, in july. After that, I translated the atmosphere of the songs in leather and so I created this collection as a reborn of the films, music and design together, a beautiful triangle of artistic expressions.The exhibition was named Red Carpet because the leather that I chose was a perfect fit for the Ret Carpet défilé, they are very fluid, they can be used for different type of outfits, they carry a strong very visible message. 

I learned that people admire you if you speak equally with them, on the same line. Feedback was good. Now, I want to open a store and a gallery in Cannes. 

What are the official and necessary steps, for an artist, to become officially recognized? Is there any institution that can analyze and recognize their works? 

Of course they are, usually a gallery that sees the potential in an artist takes the art to international fairs, museums, collectors private events, auction houses and many more. 

What message would you send to emerging artists in the world and those who dream to become official artists? 

Dream on!

You can go and see the designer's collection at Vallauris gallery, L'Entree des Artistes, 12 Rue du State, next to Picasso's Museum. The exhibition takes place till October 2nd where will be the closing event in the presence of the artists, Anca Irina Lefter, Sabina Leganaru and Kira Hagi, the well-knwon Romanian football player's daughter.