The Tightrope Walker -La Funambola Drawing

Sonia Maria Luce Possentini was born in Canossa (RE), and she shares her work and home life between Canossa and Pigneto sul Secchia (MO). Having graduated in Art History from the DAMS institute at Bologna University, and Bologna’s Accademia di Belle Arti, she studied under Stepan Zavrel at the Sàrmede School of Illustration and took Kveta Pakovskà’s course in illustration at Venice’s Associazione Culturale Teatrio. She has been awarded grants from the Fondazione Magnani, in Rocca di Mamiano (PR), and the Olands Grafiska Skola. A painter and illustrator, Possentini has taken part in several exhibitions, both as part of a collective and individually, and seen her work published in illustrated volumes, on book covers and in publicity material for publishing houses Fatatrac, La Margherita Edizioni, Kite Edizioni, Mine-Edition, Grimm Press, Giunti, Mondadori and Sonzogno. She has been awarded prizes and accolades in Italy and internationally, including the Silver Award in the Illustration Competition West 49 organized by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles. Her book Un bambino (Kite Edizioni, 2011) was selected by IBBY Italia and competed at the BIB – Bratislava Biennale. In 2012 she took part in the Città Invisibili project within the Biennale di Letteratura e Cultura per l’Infanzia, organised by the Regione Veneto. She teaches illustration at the Scuola Internazionale di Comics in Reggio Emilia and the Masters course in illustration for children and aesthetic education: illustrazione per l’infanzia ed educazione estetica: per una pedagogia della lettura iconica at the University in Padua. Awards First Prize at Città di Bitritto 2014 First Prize at Premio Pippi 9 Th Edition 2014 at Bologna First Prize at the IV Mariele Ventre National Award for Children’s Literature, Section ages 12-16, Sasso di Castalda (PZ), 2011. Silver Award, Illustration Competition West 49, organised by the Society of Illustrators of Los Angeles, 2011. Second Prize at the International Children’s Illustration Competition, Cento (FE), 2010. First Prize at the Syria Poletti International Competition: On Butterflies’ Wings, Local Councils of Bordano (UD) and Sacile (PN), 2008. First Prize at the Lucca Junior National Competition, organised by Lucca Comics and Games, 2007. First Prize at the International Illustration Competition in Swanenstadt (Austria), 2006.