We’re looking forward to introducing you to Lilian Santini. Check out our conversation below.
Lilian, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
I think I’m doing both. There’s a path, yes, shaped by intention, years of work, and an inner compass that always points toward meaning. But I also leave space to wander. That’s where curiosity lives, where ideas breathe, where the unexpected enters. My best work, and my deepest joy, often come from the places I didn’t plan to find.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Lilian Santini, a creative director and founder of The Copper Portico, a branding company that helps mission-driven organizations and creative brands express who they truly are. I also run Figments of Creativity, a living archive where I share my poetry, personal projects, and reflections on the creative process.
What makes my work unique is the blend of strategy and soul. I care deeply about clarity and direction, but I also believe beauty and meaning belong in everything we build. Right now, I’m exploring new ways to connect creativity, storytelling, and technology, showing that modern tools can be used for deeper human expression, not a replacement for it.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
When I was about eight, growing up in Brazil, my grandmother’s cousin came to visit our small town. She was this elegant woman who had traveled the world and talked about cruises, art, and the places she’d seen, all while sipping coffee with my mom and wearing a copper and white silk scarf.
I remember sitting there completely mesmerized. Her presence opened something in me. Until that moment, my world felt familiar, and hearing her talk, I realized how vast life could be. It was the first time I understood that I could go anywhere, become anything. That sense of possibility has never left me.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
During the pandemic, I was going through a very difficult time in my life: trying to conceive, and later, navigating an adoption process. None of my dreams came to life, and it was the hardest time of my life.
Eventually, I started bringing my experience to paper and wrote a collection of poems about the pain and challenges I faced. I wrote Behold: Life Beyond Grief, for myself at first, to process everything I was feeling. As I published it, it was really moving to see that it helped other people going through the same thing feel seen and less alone.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes. I spent years feeling like I had to perform or fit into a box, but it never felt right. Now, whether I’m sharing my work, my story, or a random thought online, I want it to come from a genuine place. Of course, there are always things I keep private, but what you see is a pretty good reflection of who I am: mistakes, contradictions, and all.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: When do you feel most at peace?
I feel most at peace in small, everyday moments, like sitting with my dogs in the living room early morning, listening to music while I cook, or being with my husband during a lazy Sunday afternoon. I love routines and rituals, especially after going through years of stress and burnout. When I can just be, without pressure to perform or achieve, I feel most like myself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecopperportico.com/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liliansantini/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@liliansantini
- Other: Substack: https://figments.club/
Image Credits
Janel Kilnisan
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
