At The Table With: Marianna Fierro
3 questions for the food illustrator and art director
As some of you know, my side project Pasta Girlfriend was born from a moment of pure creative boredom in 2017. It started as a random little *thing* I was doing, but it’s since become this budding community of pasta-loving people from all over the world. It’s something I sort of pick up and put back down depending on what’s going on in my life, but I think I’ll always come back to it because Pasta Girlfriend has introduced me to so many incredible people in the food, art, and food art worlds that are really, really fun.
One resident of all three of these worlds, and someone I met because of PGF, is Marianna Fierro. Born and raised in a pizza shop in Udine, Italy, Marianna is a freelance art director and illustrator in LA who splits her time between building incredible digital experiences for brands and making a supermarket aisle’s worth of food illustrations. She’s also one of those people that just knows what’s happening in the LA food scene first, and for that (and several other reasons) she’s one of my favorite people to eat with. A true Pasta Girlfriend, really.
You may be familiar with Marianna’s work. That bucatini bikini (the “Bucakini”) that Banza put out this summer? That was her. The iconic mortadella dad hat? That was her too (and our friend Mister Parmesan!) Or you might know her from her covers for the LA Times or for her Spaghet-tees. In any case, Marianna’s work is everywhere, and for good reason: her colorful approach to food illustration is unapologetically joyful and pure fun.
I asked Marianna 3 questions:
Ali LaBelle: Imagine perfect happiness. What does it smell, taste, feel and sound like?
Marianna Fierro:
Smell: A garden, with lots and lots of tomato plants and lemon trees.
Feel: A soft, fluffy cat. And no aches in my body.
Taste: A perfectly jammy, juicy fig. Also pistachio granita.
Sound: Birds chirping, The Beatles and Vampire Weekend.
AL: Give us a rec!
MF: I’m not much of a gamer, but to wind down or take my mind off of something I play Two Dots, and I’m proud to say I was an early adopter since 2014! It’s a puzzle game with simple, visually stunning, colorful graphics. Highly recommend checking it out!
AL: It’s a table for two and your dinner date can be anyone. Who do you invite and what are you eating?
MF: At this point in time, it has to be Beyoncé. I just have so many questions!! I saw her in concert this past September and it was an incredible show and production. Absolutely inspiring, and I’d love to know how she does it all. Of course we’d be at my family’s pizza shop in Udine, Italy sharing some slices. Don’t tell the paparazzi!
Thank you for sitting down with me, Mari—here and IRL! I want to plug Marianna’s online shop, which is a treasure trove of goods for people who love food as much as we do. Her new collection launches November 24 and—you heard it here first!—includes a ton of pasta merch, so set your alarms and pay her site a visit on Black Friday. I recommend signing up for her email list to get first dibs (you get a free coloring page when you do!)
Friday’s newsletter for paid subscribers is about personal branding (something Marianna is a pro at), so be sure to upgrade if you want it in your inbox.
x
Ali
In case you missed it:
My first of four gift guides is live!!! This one is themed “Gifts for your friend who’s a lot like me” and includes 36 carefully selected gifts from brands and makers that I love.
I wrote a little recap about my trip to Switzerland and Italy last month and what I got inspired by while I was there.
October’s mood board theme was the button-up shirt!
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