Susanna Grillo Derossi was born in Venice, Italy, in 1963. She graduated with honours in architecture from I.U.A.V., Venice, in 1987, and later completed a M.A. in history at E.H.E.S.S., Paris, in 1992. Susanna has authored multiple articles and a book about Venice.
She has worked as an architect in Paris, Venice, and London, always pursuing her passion for painting. In 2015, she completed the Diploma in Portraiture at Heatherley's School of Fine Art, London.
Susanna's paintings have been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, the Mall Galleries with the Royal Society of Portrait Painters and the Society of Women Artists, and at the Biennale di Chianciano. Additionally, she is part of a group of women artists with whom she regularly exhibits.
“I consider my still lives to be a form of portraiture. By humanising objects, like chairs or shirts, I represent people whom I wished were there. ”
I was born in Venice and grew up admiring the Venetian masters. I was particularly influenced by Tintoretto for his rapid and abstract touch, his colour technique, and his chiaroscuro. I primarily paint in oil and egg tempera, preparing the linen canvas with rabbit skin glue and pigment. Recently, I have introduced acrylic, coloured chalk, and ink to quickly represent a subject before applying a finishing layer in oil adding depth to the colour.
Portraiture is integral to my artistic exploration. The intimacy between artist and model is crucial for the work's success. Given the opportunity and time, I prefer creating full-figure portraits, capturing the individual in their entirety, including hands and feet, with a pose chosen by them at the outset, aiming for utmost naturalness.
I consider my still lives to be a form of portraiture. By humanising objects, like chairs or shirts, I represent people whom I wished were there. During the forced isolation of the lockdown, I painted compositions where my family could be reunited.
About a year ago, I started painting market scenes. I needed a subject that would reconnect me to everyday life. Markets have different dynamics and colours linked to the traditions of the country they are in, yet they share a common purpose. Since ancient times, they have been the theatre of exchange between people from different places and civilizations
My painting is figurative, but recently I have approached abstract painting, letting myself go with a freer gesture and an imagination made of memories and feelings.