Comic In February: Wanda Dufner

What did you want to be as a child?
I wanted to be a researcher and discover new animal species. Then I found out that you need to be good at maths to study biology – and just like that, the dream was over.

How would you describe your style?
I feel like I’m constantly trying something new while working on 20 different projects in different styles at the same time. In addition to drawing and painting, both on paper and digitally, I also design clothing and even jewellery. However, I often hear from others that my work is recognisable as mine. What exactly ties it all together is hard for me to pinpoint – maybe the way I draw people or how I use colours?

Do you have a favourite colour?
The brighter, the better – especially neon pink! ;)

Are there any themes particularly close to your heart?
While my own experiences often take centre stage, they usually tie into broader topics, such as mental health. I see my work as a way to raise awareness about difficult societal taboos. I’m interested in human relationships, depicting conflicts and connections, but also in fantasy, humour, and a childlike sense of playfulness.

Where did you grow up, and did that influence your life or your art?
I grew up surrounded by nature in Aargau, and environmental conservation even made its way into one of my publications. My personal life stories always find their way into my work. As a teenager, I watched tons of Bollywood films to escape my otherwise rather dramatic teenage years. Maybe that’s where my love of vibrant colours comes from.

What’s bringing you joy at the moment?
I’m incredibly excited about my graphic novel Bauchlandung, which will be published in March by Edition Moderne. It tells the story of a teenage pregnancy. I can’t wait to finally hold the book in my hands and see all those years of hard work materialise into a finished product. I’ve woven a lot of my own experiences as a young mother into the story. It was written and illustrated with great passion. Additionally, the book will be showcased this year at Fumetto in the ART1a gallery at Hofstrasse 1A in Lucerne as a satellite exhibition.

What’s the most challenging thing in your life right now?
Just everyday life.

What do you enjoy drawing the most?
People in bright colours.

What can comics, cartoons, and illustrations do that other media cannot?
As someone who has always been on the more reserved side, art was always a way for me to express myself and process my thoughts – sometimes the only form of communication that truly suited me. Comics allow you to tell entire stories and share them with others. The audience is guided along, but they also have the freedom to interpret things their own way, to spend as much time as they like looking at an image, and to decide for themselves what they see in it.

List a few of your favourite things (or moments or experiences) in bullet points.

My cat Simo
Colours and chaos
My two energy drinks per day
My heated blanket
The feeling of finally seeing the floor of my room again
Messing around with my son, who is now a teenager
Meeting like-minded people who truly understand me
The Swahili language
Ancient Egypt
India – its cuisine and culture
When something actually grows well in the garden
Getting into a creative flow

What is something most people don’t know about you?
As a child, I was like a walking encyclopaedia and soaked up every bit of knowledge I could about plants and animals from factual books and documentaries. At 12, I trained as a bird expert and even earned a certificate.