SNUGGLE UP | RAMONA RUSSU

We’ve been absolutely captivated by the glamorous work of Romanian Artist Ramona Russu here at Artsnug. Celebrating the female form with a distinctive and poetic visual language, Ramona has got us well and truly under her spell.

Currently living and working on the island of Corsica, Ramona has developed a graphic, minimalist and emotive approach to portraiture. Her women are larger than life, often staring boldly directly at us, moving into our space and demanding that they be seen. It is expression and imperfection which Ramona searches for, continually interrogating ideas of beauty and narrative.

In her recent original works on paper Ramona has used gold leaf extensively to explore the idea of decoration and to imbue her women with a sense of luminosity. We have a selection of these intricate original pieces currently available at Artsnug.

To celebrate Ramona joining our Artist family we have been able to ‘virtually’ snuggle up with her and find out more of the process behind the portraits…

How did your art practice begin and how has it evolved?

I’ve been drawing since I was a young girl. My parents loved it because when I was drawing they were able to have some peace and quiet! I guess that ever since then my art practice has been a way of disconnecting with the world and creating a world of my own, ‘my pink bubble’.

When my father realised that my drawing phase wasn’t going away and that I was actually very passionate about it, he applied for me to attend a local art school. I will forever be grateful that he saw my potential and supported me in this career choice. Years later I graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Brussels.

What I loved most in my art school years was the hours of human study and portraiture. Trying to capture expressions, moments and moods in just a couple of lines intrigued me. To analyse the evolution of my work I would say that I progressed through different phases of experimenting with techniques and trying to find my own ‘universe of creation’, a visual language which challenges me but also makes me comfortable with the end result.

The one thing that has remained unchanged over the years is my interest in the female figure. This has always been the central element of my work. However, my experimentation is not over as I believe that an artist’s style and practice should be continually evolving.

Tell us about your studio practice. How do you create your artworks?

The most important starting point is inspiration. I look for a face which communicates something, transporting me to a mood, a feeling or a state of mind. I describe this as the search for that imperfect beauty. I am searching for expression rather than beauty. I then start translating that emotion through paint, using my own visual language.

Sometimes my work is linked to the status quo of society, like my ‘Peonies in Lockdown’ series. This was inspired by the impact of current events and lockdowns on the environment and ourselves, making us all aware of our fragility.

I love starting with small sketches in order to find the right medium for the final canvas work. Working on the sketch provides me with inspiration and allows me to decide which road I will take for the final piece. I decide what size to work with and which technique will be best to perfectly capture how a certain face has made me feel.

When is your favourite time to create? What conditions do you need to do what you do?

I definitely need to be alone for my art practice as I use quite a personal approach. I work best at night or when I am tired as I think this is when my subconscious takes over and my artistic approach becomes more genuine.

How has lockdown, artistically, been for you? Have you found it a challenge, or has it been a refreshing change? Have you created any lockdown-inspired art?

Lockdown was the moment when I found myself not being at all distracted by the outside world. I locked myself in my ‘pink bubble’ and created the ‘Peonies in Lockdown’ series that is now evolving and, in my opinion, is becoming my best work so far.

What is your ‘Je ne sais quoi’? That special something that makes your artwork unique.

I have a distinct and personal visual language which comes naturally to me. It’s like being a native English speaker, something that is normal for you is difficult for others. It is difficult for me, having a ‘native’ visual language, to identify what make me unique. I think this question can best be answered by the viewer, the ‘foreigners’, those that look at my art and enter my universe of imperfect beauty.

What do you hope that your work communicates to the world?

My art is essentially about translating human emotions and capturing them on canvas.

Do you have any advice for people just starting their art collection?

Choose with your heart and you will never regret or get bored of your choice.