Fantine is an artist working with words and illustrations. A dreamer that Fantine is, she always needs to find a way to express her creativity and to live with a sense of great freedom to enjoy herself.

What did you study?

After graduating from high school with major in literature and a considerable amount of art classes, I went to a photography school that is now shut down. My first university year was amazing and particularly satisfying because we mostly did film photography and film development. I still think it was one of the most influential years in my journey as a creator. At some point, however, studio work and retouching has taken me away from my creative identity, and I felt the need to find myself. I started to draw on my own, in an imperfect and free manner.

What is your professional path – have you always been a freelancer or did you work in an office? If so, do you think of returning there one day?

I’ve never been an employee in my life and I don’t think I could ever be one... I need to set up my routine with freedom and fantasy.

What do you think are the pros and cons of working on your own?

It is only the matter of your personal preferences really, and there is no magic recipe – the way you work should suit your own needs and desires in order to define your unique path. The main advantage is the freedom to manage your time and to reinvent your own craft, whereas the disadvantages are the necessary discipline, learning to self-organise (which is a big deal for a daydreamer like me!) and accepting the uncertainty that every tomorrow brings.

What is the most difficult part of your work?

The administrative part of course! It’s all Greek to me, and I don’t understand a single thing about la Maison des artistes, the association of artists in France.

Tell us about your atelier

My little studio consists of all the things that I love: objects I found on flea markets during my walks through Paris, each of them being chosen for what it made me feel or think of. The books you can find here are just as much nurturing as they are encouraging. I found my blue armchairs second hand – fell crazy in love with this blue that changes depending on the light. I was also looking for a pink armchair, and when I received this one after ordering it I discovered it wasn’t pink at all – rather a shade of venetian red – and ended up keeping it. My atelier is ‘a room of one’s own’, an ode to creativity where I have collected everything that I love and that inspires me.

What is your daily routine?

The thing that rarely changes through my days is the way they begin. I’m a morning person, and every day I wake up as early as possible – I need to start the day with my morning rituals that can take a while. Those are journaling, meditating and reading a couple of pages that would inspire and guide me through the day. After that I have breakfast, get myself ready and leave for my atelier around nine o’clock. These 30 minutes of walking there are important for me because they allow me to ponder what I would like to do and set my intentions for the day. Once I arrive, I have a cup of tea and sit right down at my dest to make sure I’m not tempted to procrastinate for hours. I work on my orders or other ongoing projects until one o’clock. Then I go out to Jardin du Palais Royal behind my atelier where I take my time to wander and eventually have lunch. Sometimes I have meetings in the afternoon, otherwise I get back to whatever I was working on previously. I’m usually no longer productive after 17-18 o’clock, and that’s when I let myself to daydream, read – and tidy. There is always a day in a week that I dedicate to getting inspired. I stroll around Paris, visit a museum, discover cute shops, read and draw in a café. This precious day allows me to keep the balance by distracting myself and turning my attention outward.

What words of encouragement would you address to someone who would like to start working on freelance as an artist?

Doing something you love is the most precious commitment. There is always a path that will unravel under your feet, step by step.

Could you share some of your favourite places in Paris?

Le Jardin du Palais Royal for wandering, Passages Jouffroy or Passage du Grand Cerf to shop vintage books, ceramics atelier of my friends Corentin Brison, Théo Tourne and Tom & Folks at 21 Avenue Claude Vellefaux in the 10th arrondissement for making clay dreams come true. And finally, chez Homade on rue Jacques Louvel Tessier at for having one of the best parisian brunches in peace and quiet.

fantinereucha.com / @fantinereucha

Text translation and editing by Katya Ulitina

This story originally appeared in Paris With Me blog.