Hi, I’m Rosso!
Artist & Founder of RossoArtSchool.
I created this school for artists like me — who love portraiture and figurative painting with a contemporary edge, who stay playful and curious, and who trust intuition as much as discipline.
I’ve been painting professionally for over sixteen years — but for a long time, I felt confined by the stiffness of traditional realism. I loved portraiture, yet I wanted to create paintings that could speak to something deeper and reach a wider audience.
After briefly training in classical methods at the London Atelier of Representational Art (LARA) in 2014, I devoted myself to years of experimentation — with as many failures as discoveries. My practice was driven by two passions: refining realist portraiture on one side, and breaking away from it on the other — letting the more rebellious side of me take over through paint, and moving toward a language that’s more colourful, instinctive, and dynamic above all.
I still remember my happy accident — a frantic attempt to cover yet another painting I couldn’t seem to resolve. What emerged instead was a breakthrough, finally a painting that captured exactly what I had been searching for all those years — the moment where realist portraiture and abstraction could coexist in perfect balance within the same space. It was a painting of my daughter, a subject that keeps returning in my work — perhaps because it feels both deeply authentic and endlessly challenging.
Since that day, a new chapter began: one that completely transformed my work and my career.
My paintings have been exhibited internationally, including at the MEAM Museum in Barcelona and Mall Galleries in London, and are now part of the Soho House Collection .
I’ve been featured in Colossal, My Modern Met, Magzoid, and on the cover of The Artist Magazine (UK), as well as in Artists&Illustrator, PratiqueDesArt, and the International Artist Magazine.
I’ve also appeared twice on Sky Portrait Artist of the Year (2019 & 2020); was finalist in the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize and ModPortrait, and won Jackson’s Painting Prize and the Women in Art Prize.
When I teach, I give it all — everything I’ve learned the hard way. I don’t hold anything back. I believe absolutely anyone can learn to paint beautifully, if they bring patience, persistence, and the will to keep showing up.
Why and When RossoArtSchool was born
I began teaching eight years ago — both online and in person — and since then I’ve had the privilege of guiding more than 500 students through workshops, mentorships, and private courses.
In 2023, I launched a prototype for an online recurring course — a 4-week live Zoom workshop — which attracted over 160 students from around the world. The feedback was clear: artists wanted more content, more access to my process, and more opportunities to grow. That demand sparked the idea for Rosso Art School — a comprehensive online platform where I could distill over 16 years of painting and teaching experience into a growing library of accessible, high-quality content. It’s designed as a living resource: something my students — including those attending in-person workshops — can return to again and again, at their own pace.
Many of my students have gone on to open their own studios, win awards with the paintings they created after studying with me, and even exhibit their work for the first time — and that fills me with joy and pride.
What I love most is that I’ve had the chance to teach artists from complete beginners to highly accomplished professionals. It’s been a challenge I’ve welcomed wholeheartedly — finding ways to present my entire theory, my creative process, and everything behind my paintings in a way that feels accessible to all, regardless of skill level.
Since the official launch in 2024, over 200 artists from around the world have joined Rosso Art School — and their growth, feedback, and paintings have become an essential part of how this school continues to evolve.
Here’s what they’re saying:
Paola Michele Wagoner
"Rosso’s delicate application of color and calm, guiding presence allowed the painter in me to re-emerge after years away from the easel ... After art school, motherhood, and even spinal surgery, I thought my painting days were behind me — until Rosso’s mentoring reignited my passion and gave me purpose again"
Nicky Stefanelli (California)
"Rosso is able to work individually with each person and gets a feeling for what your strengths are and help you improve in places where you are struggling"
Maria Gabriela S. (NY)
"Many thanks for making me see and understanding painting"
Fritz Forstner (Germany)
I really appreciate all the content you are putting in to your art school . I’m still on the drawing realism section as I’m savouring every morsel of information and I can’t believe how much I’ve learnt so far and how you have motivated and excited me to work hard and experiment. When I’m not doing the art I’m thinking about it !
In the past year, I’ve partnered with leading art brands, including:
So I want to end this with a huge thank you — for pushing me to grow, too. Helping you evolve means I have to keep evolving myself, and I’ll keep sharing everything I learn along the way.
Hundreds of artists have already joined the school — many keep returning because of how deeply transformative this way of learning has been for them. I hope you’ll be one of them soon.
Below, you’ll find the different ways you can learn and paint with me — from self-paced programs to guided mentorships and in-person workshops. And before you go, you can download a free PDF guide to get started.
The school will be here, waiting for you — whenever you’re ready.
— Rosso
Here’s How You Can Learn With Me
Through online programs, in-person workshops, or private coaching, I’ll guide you step by step to bring out your full creative potential — helping you bringing your creativity and visions to life.
COURSES
Study Online
Study with me from anywhere in the world through my structured online programs. Whether you’re just beginning, ready to go deeper, or looking for mentorship and live feedback — there’s a path for you.
Choose from three core programs: START, COMPLETE, and MASTER PATH.
IN-PERSON
Art Retreats & Workshops
Join me for immersive workshops and art retreats designed to help you grow, recharge, and reconnect with your creative flow. These experiences offer hands-on guidance, live demonstrations, and the space to experiment freely — surrounded by inspiring locations and like-minded artists.
COACHING
One-on-One Learning
Work with me privately through a fully personalised mentorship designed to meet you exactly where you are in your artistic journey. Together, we’ll refine your technique, strengthen your creative voice, and map a plan that aligns with your goals — whether it’s building a cohesive body of work, preparing for exhibitions, or simply finding new direction in your practice.
Before you leave, download a Free Resource
Here's a practical, illustrated resource that walks you through the three key stages of painting a portrait:
Sketching, Modelling, and Finishing.
It also includes a selection of masterwork analyses, showing how great painters approached the same stages in their own process.
Whether you’re self-taught or already experienced, I hope this guide will inspire your next work!
DOWNLOAD HERE
Get in Touch — I’d love to hear from you.
Whether you have a question about my programs, want to collaborate, or for any other enquiry — you can reach me directly here.
I will reply asap.
