Wilamina Russo, sometimes called Willy, is a mentor to artists and a broadcaster. I first encountered her through social media - I had a Willy's eye view of the National Emerging Art Prize. Namely, I saw a video she posted of the NEAP 2023 exhibition and it happened to include a glimpse of my artwork, All Monsters Are Real (and me!). Wilamina. in her caption, praised the calibre of works and congratulated the curator, Amber Cresswell Bell.
I then saw another NEAP finalist, Chilu, explain that a small scale work of hers was in Wilamina's Artist Showcase. This was a 30 day unveiling of little paintings by Australian emerging artists, each of which was to be sold for $200, with proceeds to Rural Aid. Watching Willy reveal each painting was a joy and a great way to discover new, exciting artists throughout November. I didn't manage to snag any paintings myself (everything sold out in mere minutes), but standouts to me included Chilu's shiny balloon; Kate Quinn's cheerful blooms (and lavishly striped sides); and Shaan Bhula's startlingly perfect bag of tomatoes. Wilamina's love of art and excitement in her Showcase was infectious.
Wilamina Russo. Photo: supplied
Wilamina Russo is the 15th in my series of creatives to take five questions.
When my creative process is stuck, I reach for... music and mother nature.
The weirdest thing about being a creative human is... seeing stories everywhere.
The most unusual object in my house is... an electric fly swat shaped like a tennis racket.
I celebrate my achievements by... spending time with loved ones.
Something in the world that already exists that I wish I had created is... the paperclip?
Find out more about Wilamina Russo at wilaminarusso.com - you can listen to podcasts, take an online course called The Astute Artist, and more.