Issue 2 : The second issue has exclusive content you won’t see here.
The inspiration for Oana Befort’s illustrations and designs didn’t come from trips to exotic destinations, but from a place much closer to home.
Born and raised in northern Romania, Oana (pronounced “Wanna”) is an internationally recognized graphic artist who uses nostalgia and traditions from her upbringing to capture imagery full of folk motifs, flora, and fauna in a distinct style that can be described as whimsical, intricate, and elegant.
“I try to create my own visual language,” Oana says.
She attributes her love of nature, seen in most of her work, to childhood adventures in the woods near her grandparent’s home.
“I loved seeing animals and nature up close,” she says.
Soon after learning to hold a pen, she brought her experiences to life through sketching. Luckily for Oana, both of her parents worked at a paper factory.
“My dad would bring home stacks of paper, and I’d sketch and draw all the time,” says Oana.
With endless supplies for practice and natural talent, Oana’s creative work caught the eye of her elementary school teachers. She won three national awards for her realistic portrait drawings by the end of grade school, and was urged to go to a high school focused on art, where she continued exploring through a vast number of mediums.
“I tried everything from interior design to graffiti,” she says.
However, when it came down to a final medium selection – she turned back to her roots.
“I always came back to drawing and using my hands,” Oana says.
Oana went on to get her Masters in Graphic Design and Visual Communication in Bucharest, Romania, and it was there she met her boyfriend – now husband – Jeremy, who was working in Romania for a non-profit Christian organization.
They married while she was getting her master’s and working in advertising as a graphic designer.
Oana recalls advertising as a way to get her work in front of big clients like Coca-Cola, but ultimately, she found herself unhappy.
“I wasn’t able to express my own visions…I wanted something more,” she says.
Her break from advertising came when she found out she was pregnant with her first son, Sammy, but shortly after he was born, she found herself longing for a creative outlet.
“I want my kids to know that as a mom I tried to work hard for my own dream. That’s what I’m trying to encourage them to do with their lives.”
Oana started her blog in 2010 to share personal artwork – something she was creating from a small corner in her flat in Bucharest. She also shared behind-the-scenes moments of a simple life at home with her newborn son.
“I was unsure exactly what I wanted to do, but I started putting my illustrations out there just to stay creative,” she explained. “It was my internal outburst after so many years of working for others – it was a time to explore my style and what I wanted to do.”
Sharing her watercolor, gouache artwork and home life on the blog slowly led to freelance opportunities. At the start she said “yes” too often, but her experience eventually led her to work with brands such as Hallmark and Anthropologie.
As her work went international, so did her life. Her family of four moved to Council Bluffs for Jeremy’s work in 2016, where she was able to find a new home – but this time, she had more than a corner as her workspace.
“When we saw the house with the little sunroom I thought yes, this is going to be mine,” she laughs.
So, she set up shop from home, where she was able to transition from artist to mom more seamlessly. Frequently, she shares the space with her kids, specifically her 5-year-old daughter, Emma, who shares both her mom’s space and love of drawing.
“I love spending time with my kids, but I know I have to chase my dream too,” she says.
She admits to having the occasional “mom guilt” while working with her kids around but finds a positive way to view working at home.
“I want my kids to know that as a mom I tried to work hard for my own dream,” she says. “That’s what I’m trying to encourage them to do with their lives.”
But while her home was – and is – great for work and family life, she sought a connection with the local art scene in her new hometown, and used Instagram to help her connect with local companies. She was able to meet local businesses such as BENCH, where she sold her work for the first time face-to-face with customers, and Mulhall’s, where she teaches a botanical painting workshop a couple of times a year.
Marketing aside, Oana’s work shines all on its own. She describes her style as positive, quirky and naïve.
“I’m positive through chromatics and topics, quirky in that I like adding a touch of surprise or humor, and naïve in presentation,” she explains.
But the complexity of the seemingly simple comes from years of training.
“I know how to draw a realistic person, but a lot of artists can do that…how can you tell which is which?” she asks.
Oana ties her traditional Romanian folk motifs and style to her work in a way that shows a certain nostalgia for things past, such as filled in circles for cheeks, inspired by Russian nesting dolls and traditional Roman motifs.
“My style is just an accumulation of what I’ve seen and love,” says Oana.
She also says her artistic style is an ever-evolving, never-ending process.
She once heard an 80-year-old artist say, “I don’t know if I’ll ever consider myself great.”
“I thought, ‘you know what, I’m always trying to get better and better and don’t consider myself great.’ There’s that voice in my head that says, ‘I don’t know where I need to go, but I know I’m not there yet,’” Oana says.
She admits her dream work would be to illustrate a storybook, recalling her dad’s large library back in Romania.
“Books are very special to me, anyone can hold it and flip through,” she says. “It’s such a practical object that’s extremely visual.”
Oana’s heart continues to lie at home. Where her family comes together, where books are read, where homemade meals are cooked, and where her artistic dreams are constantly unfolded. And the Befort’s home is a cozy one; nestled close to the wilderness of the bluffs and filled with natural light, books, and houseplants.
One can even feel the tug of a heart that exists between two homes; with a Midwest artist’s work next to intricately carved Romanian wooden spoons hanging on a wall. The centerpiece of her studio is a loomed rug from Romania, a striking contrast to her mid-century modern furniture.
Oana shares a piece of her home along with every purchased piece of work, and her greatest joy is in hearing that her work elicits a similar sense of nostalgia and happiness in their homes.
“People tell me my art makes them feel happy,” she says. “it’s something positive – the world needs more of that.”
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