Stefania Russo

Behind the name Illusorya, you'll find Stefania Russo. Self-taught, defined as indie traditional artist. Born in 1984, settled in the countryside of North-West Italy, she graduated as a fashion designer spending most of her life in the field of antique furniture restoration.

As self-defense, from the first signs of a future and consolidated mental and physical collapse, Stefania abandoned previous experiences focusing on Art. Drawing inspiration from own and other people's existences, she transpose fragments of human life, fragility and resilience through lushly dreamlike forms of Dark Grotesque.

The name Illusorya, was born from the concept of creating seductive works apparently simple at first sight but filled with fine symbolic details giving space to a deceptive vision, such as the human mind and its masks.
“Motivation” is the only academic teacher, leading to portray against the canonical artistic rule of “beautiful” encouraging to welcome the face of humanity; Stefania mainly represent the female gender, as well as portraits of queer and androgynous people.
Her works are mostly made "alla prima" and don't exceed 30x40cm, preferring watercolours, tools with an anarchic mood like these emotional visions.

Stefania currently works as independent artist, painting personal projects or on commission. Her works have been exhibited in group shows on galleries worldwide Curio Art Gallery (Portugal) and Metamorphosis Gallery (Australia), and published in several international publications, like Beautiful Bizarre Magazine and projects like 78 Tarot.