Adorable Robot Banks!!
Hello art aficionados! My name is Frances Romero and I am the proud artist behind il*mostro!
The italian phrase for “the monster”, il*mostro is a reflection of several events which left my life longing for the world of art. I was born and raised in the Chicagoland area and came from a family full of creative geniuses. Though growing up I always had dreams of sharing my art with the world, life took its toll and I surrendered it to the world of sales and retail for more than 10 years. When stress took over, I would spend my late night hours “sneaking in” time with my sketchbook. After a long bout of self reflection, I realized the fulfillment I had from simply starting an art project was far greater than punching a timeclock or even cashing the paycheck for that matter. I was unhappy and it was inexcusable. I longed for the same feelings I had as a child. That little girl had dreams and ambition… and I buried her under bills and self doubt.
Though I never envisioned my life without the city of Chicago, a change of venue was necessary to break the cycle. By August of 2010 my boyfriend and I packed our basic necessities, left the familiarity of home, and moved to the city of Cincinnati. It was this fresh start that has inspired me to open and operate my online shop “il*mostro” where I sell my hand painted robot banks. The perfect reflection of this new beginning, they stand as an homage to the creative monster, a nostalgic outlet for an inner child, and a pop of fun to everyday decor. Ask me my favorite part of the process and I’ll have to say its laying the first stroke of paint to the cold blank ceramic, it is then no longer just a ceramic bank, it is the beginning of a character and a piece of me, in artform.
