What do ambition, unconventional routes and a dark sense of humour have to do with career choices? Paul Attard and Anne Marie Camilleri Podestà tell Veronica Stivala why they followed in their parents’ footsteps.
[attach id=320735 size="large"]Paul Attard. Right: Marisa Attard.[/attach]
Marisa Attard
Drawn together
Marisa Attard is an artist and illustrator. Her work is recognisable for its humorous and quirky, yet also dark and serious portraits. Her fun illustrations can also be found in numerous children’s books, workbooks and magazines.
Her son Paul is based in London where he has his own design studio, Goat, specialising in brand consultancy and identity development.
Discussing how much of an influence she thinks she had on her son’s choice of career, Marisa says how Paul has been very receptive to art from a young age.
“He has been brought up exposed to art, children’s books with great illustrations and an encouragement to look at life differently. Growing up, he was given enough space to discover who he really is and what he wanted to do.”
Although it is not always easy taking the unconventional route, in the Attard family they tried to give the children enough freedom to be themselves while guiding them as parents.
“There must have been something that clicked between the two of us because I feel we understand each other on this level – we have a similar sense of humour, dark at times, and enjoy sharing and giving feedback on what we are doing and working on,” she says.
Paul’s line of work is in a way different to Marisa’s. She is more traditional in the medium she uses (paint, collage, pen and ink), while his medium is digital. However, she is glad he took the creative route because “it suits him well”.
Paul remained in London after doing his Masters in graphic branding and identity to set up a studio with Alexey Golev from Russia.
Paul says it is probably his mum’s dark sense of humour that has influenced him the most.
“Unluckily though, it is difficult to bring this into client work, which is where I envy her for her freedom.”
Admitting that inspiration is a difficult word to use in design, he says that this generally comes from all the research, experimentation and experience you’ve gained from everything you’ve done before.
What was it like growing up with an artist for a mum?
“It was fun,” says Paul, “but I obviously can’t draw comparison from any other mum. We always had some interesting art project to work on and we were certainly stimulated in the creative area.”
With an analytical and logical father and a creative and experimental mother, Paul notes how it was only natural for him to have these attributes and combine them to do something he enjoys.
Although both work in the same line, Paul finds their fields far apart and only cross over when it’s necessary.
“This is then where we are able to use our different skills to create something that neither of us could do alone.”
Indeed mother and son have collaborated on some projects. Goat designed the invitation for Xebgħa Nies, an exhibition Marisa is currently exhibiting at, they designed her website www.marisaattard.com and hope to make a children’s book together in the near future.
Prof. Marie Therese Camilleri Podestà with her daughter Anne Marie. Photo: Chris Sant FournierProf. Marie Therese Camilleri Podestà
Doctors’ house
Prof. Marie Therese Camilleri Podestà is Professor of Anatomy at the University of Malta. She was the first woman to be appointed full professor in 1981 and has headed the Department of Anatomy many times. She has also published extensively and chairs the Gender Issues Committee and the Faculty Admissions Committee at the University of Malta, as well as being a member of the ACCESS committee and of the University Research Ethics committee. She is regularly appointed by the court to carry out medico-legal, post-mortem examinations.
As a working mother, it was inevitable that Marie Therese’s children would be aware of her line of profession.
“I did not try to influence Anne Marie directly to take up a career in medicine, but I believe that since we are quite similar in character I must have subconsciously acted as a role model for her, just as I was influenced by my father who incidentally was an anaesthetist,” she says.
Marie Therese is proud of her daughter’s choices, in that she manages to juggle her commitments successfully – of which more later.
Dr Anne Marie Camilleri Podesta` is a medical doctor who is specialised in anaesthesia and intensive care.
“Undoubtedly,” she says, “my mother played a large role in my career choice as I hold her in high esteem and wanted to emulate her. Although my grandfather died when I was very young, the fact that my mum mentioned him often was one of the reasons why I was attracted to anaesthesia.”
Does she ever find that she is living in her shadow?
“I have a strong and assertive personality and our paths do not really cross at work,” Anne Marie says.
Anne Marie is also a renowned harpist who has performed in prestigious venues such as the Konzerthaus in Vienna and with orchestras such as the Orquestra Sinfónica Portuguesa, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra. She performed a world premiere entitled Ġesti, composed by Prof. Charles Camilleri at the Ninth World Harp Congress held in Dublin. Ġesti gives its name to her CD as a solo artist – Ġesti: Harp Music from the Mediterranean. She is also a founding member of the Ġukulari Ensemble.
Extracurricular activities played a key role in Anne Marie’s upbringing. Besides harp, these included piano, singing, ballet and horse riding.
“I was always encouraged by my mother to pursue my harp career even when this coincided with important medical exams.”