The Subtle Rebellion of Honest Lines with Rebecca Russo

November 18, 2024

Rebecca Russo’s journey as an artist is deeply intertwined with her life as a mother and her ever-evolving creative process. Drawing inspiration from the rawness of human expression and the beauty of honest imperfections, she has cultivated a unique style that resonates with authenticity. From sketching portraits in a small apartment to showcasing her work at major exhibitions, Russo continues to explore themes of connection, identity, and rebellion through her powerful line work and evolving artistic mediums.

What was the defining moment or experience that made you realise you wanted to pursue a career as an artist?

I had children right out of college. Within a couple of months of graduating with a BFA and a minor in Psychology, I was starting a family. The plan was to continue with my Master’s and explore installation work and painting or to pursue the Art Therapy path. What I didn’t know was how much I would enjoy being a mother and my new sense of woman, and that my children would wind up being my greatest work of art in my life. I was so inspired by their freedom, their “untouched-by-the-world-ness,” their curious approach to making things, their love for the simple things throughout the day, and their pure joy - something I hadn’t felt in a very long time.

As much as I loved being a stay-at-home mom, I missed my independence and being part of something, particularly an art community, which I longed for. I’m inspired by my surroundings. I missed my studio, and I wanted to be part of something more. I missed my freedom. I decided to open an Instagram account after seeing Unskilled Worker’s drawings, maybe around 2014? I had never drawn portraits before; I was always inspired by the fashion and beauty industry, but most of my work in school had been abstract paintings and room installations.

I began sketching. I didn’t have much space in our small apartment at the time, with two little children running havoc. I needed something safe and clean - what’s safer than a pen and paper? The irony is that there’s nothing safe about a pen at all; it shows everything - all your mistakes, awkward choices, and vulnerabilities. I became obsessed with these “honest lines,” as I call them. I wanted to bare it all, and this was the beginning of my practice, my style, and my signature…

Who were some of your early influences in art and illustration?

As mentioned previously, Unskilledworker, with her haunting eyes and lips, and Fahren Feingold, who became a dear mentor and friend. I will never forget her kindness and willingness to chat with me on the phone. She was not afraid to ask questions and be her authentic self with me. You don’t realise how important those conversations are; it’s more than networking - it’s building a community of peers who inspire you and whom you trust. Unfortunately, Fahren passed away suddenly, and although we never got to meet in person, I have one of her works of Billie Eilish in my daughter’s room, which makes me happy. Oh, and Andy Warhol—my muse. Everything Andy Warhol: nudes, shoes, wigs, lips, makeup, cakes, portraits, culture, soup cans - it’s all there for me.

Do you primarily draw from reference, or do you often create from memory?

I always draw from what I see. It’s the way I studied, and it’s how I explore my subject. There is so much there to use. Although I like to think of my works as a memory - slightly inflated, forgotten, blurred, tragic, and beautiful - I would never give up using a subject for reference unless I was going abstract and exploring the way colour and texture meet and play.

What inspires your illustrations and paintings? Are they usually spontaneous or part of a project?

I’m inspired by features in a face or a person’s expression, longer fingers crawling up a face, nostrils, ears, lips… a subtle rebelliousness. I don’t like too much of anything. Just enough. Colour inspires me and how they dance. If you start to people-watch long enough, you start to see their stories on their faces. That’s what I’m interested in. That’s how we can connect, how we relate. Although I do love projects, most of my work is spontaneous.

What has been your most exciting commission to date? What made it stand out for you, and how did it challenge you as an artist?

Probably when Fred Perry asked me to be a part of a project with the Amy Winehouse Foundation. You don’t realise when you spend time with someone, drawing them over and over again… you get to know them in a way. I look back at those drawings and all the proofs, and I smile, like she’s someone I know. Another great commission was from a client who wanted me to do a large, life-size portrait of Nipsey Hussle. I didn’t know who he was as an artist prior to that project. But once again, I found myself listening to his music obsessively as I drew every line of his face and all the proofs. When I hear his music now, I smile and think… I know him. Interestingly, these artists died too soon - heartbreaking. There’s so much intimacy in my work.

When working on personal projects, what themes or subjects do you find most compelling? How do these differ from the themes in your commercial work?

I guess a lot of my work now feels commercial in a way because I have been doing it for a long time. I think I don’t make enough time for personal projects, and I plan to start doing that. Making time to create abstract paintings that keep me up at night and haunt me all day. Following through with some of the projects like the children’s books I have put off for so long. Running a one-woman art business can be overwhelming at times. Finding time to make new work, explore, and grow as an artist is something I have put on the back burner.

What have been some career-defining moments for you, and how have mentors influenced your artistic journey?

This October, I sold a Marilyn Monroe painting I did in 2022 on found cardboard to Sara Blakely, the entrepreneur and founder of Spanx, at the Other Art Fair in Brooklyn. This was it for me. Being a woman, a mother, a dreamer, and an independent business owner, I admire what she has been able to do. And the fact that she’s seeing me. I hope one day I will be able to do that for other artists. That’s the goal.

If you could exhibit in any gallery or museum worldwide, where would it be, and what kind of show would you envision there?

The Guggenheim NY - all my small works on paper lined haphazardly on a wall and in display cases for viewers to travel through my sea of sketchbooks. All the wire spiral bindings of the books made into wire sculptures. All my large canvas portraits of faces, fish, and animals. A lot of the clothing and shoes I have painted on. It would be a story of my life through my work. Viewers would get to know me, as I have been getting to know them all these years. I would also love to start collaborating with more designers and making one-of-a-kind pieces and experiences combining art and fashion. An invitation to draw at runways would be another career goal of mine!

How has the experience of preparing for exhibitions changed for you over time? Is there anything you now approach differently?

I try not to have any expectations. I never compare myself to anyone else, and I feed myself positive affirmations. I try my best to dress up, have fun, and remember to appreciate all the hard work I have done to get to that very moment. I try not to think about what others think and focus on what I know, which is that the work is good; it’s important because I say it is. That there’s a place for my work and I allow it to take up space. Another big thing I have learned is that sales don’t always equal success. Success comes in so many ways - you just have to be willing to see it. Labels and bios take up way too much time, leave the framing to the experts, and if you put on a great pair of shoes and lipstick, you are unstoppable!

How has your artistic style evolved over the years, and what factors do you believe have contributed to this evolution?

It’s evolved as a style and process. I shifted from pen to pastel to ink to watercolour, from paper to 6-foot canvas. Mostly it has grown in scale and in medium. How could my honest line grow and translate in a bigger space? All these small works on paper have led me here. I laugh to myself, thinking from here it must only go… abstract or maybe surreal. I believe as I grew, my work grew not just in size but also in confidence. I became confident in my work between the pen and paper, there were fewer accidents, and I needed to move on. So the pen became a spray paint can, and the paper became a life-size canvas.

See more of Rebecca Russo:

Instagram: @cigarettesandkale