ONLINE GALLERY
(Please note all images are shown in square format. Therefore some areas of the artwork have been cropped.)

I am Theodora Stougiannou (although I often like to use the Americanized version of my name – Stougiannos), and I grew up in Greece and Canada – my “home” was essentially always split between two very distant places, and I think it influenced many of the themes I use in my art – longing for a home that’s always far away, looking at the stars etc. I took lessons in various art techniques while I was still in elementary school, including byzantine iconography, and, although I left the craft for a while, due to my studies in medicine and biology, I now like to create art whenever I can, and share it with anyone who wishes to be immersed within the fantastical surrealism it portrays.

How would you describe your work to someone seeing it for the first time?

My art is mainly depictions of surrealistic landscapes with dreamlike and fantastical elements, as well as abstract depictions of subjects and forms inspired by nature and fantasy. Throughout my work, I like incorporating intricate linework, to create the illusion of movement; I like to imagine it as if paint was swirling and swooshing on the canvas – a painting that might often give off the impression of music, even if the music is not physically there for us to hear. In addition, my work is often interconnected – I envision it as world building – different paintings often portray the same subject or area from different perspectives, from different timelines, through different eyes; this is, in essence, me trying to put different worlds, into canvas. 

What and which artists have influenced your work?

My work has been influenced mostly by surrealism and postimpressionism; I love portraying illogical scenes, that resemble or recreate a dream sequence, as well as forms that might pop up unconsciously in my mind when I start to paint, all through use of bold colours, or colours that might contrast each other, just to put more a dramatic emphasis on the effect of lighting. I have also been influenced by byzantine iconography techniques I learned when I was younger, as well as symbolism.

If you could collaborate with any artist past or present, who would you select and why?

I think I would choose Vincent van Gogh, although I am sure it is quite a popular choice; however, van Gogh really would be my favorite choice, since I do love the personal style he developed, including the visibly thick brush strokes that create a sense a movement, as well as the vibrant, expressionistic color palettes. 

What can we expect to see from you in the future?

I really wish to delve deeper into the surrealism and world building I create through my work – I also hope to create larger-sized paintings, which might not be feasible at the moment due to space constraints and a lack of larger studio space. I really want every artistic piece of work I produce to seem like a doorway or window to a different dreamworld. This is also one of the reasons I like to create movement with ink and splashes of color – creating the illusion of a moving painting, a painting that only sits still, if only for a moment, while we look at it. It will start to move and swirl as our eyes move away from it – the essence of movement, as a mere glimpse, from the corner of our eyes. 

MY TOP 5 ARTWORKS

1 - "The scorching moon valley of Splendiferous 9", Ink, Watercolour & Gouache on canvas, 2023, 500 USD

2 - "Ancient Desert - The Last Light of Day", Ink, Watercolour & Acrylics on Canvas, 33 cm x 67 cm, 2023, 500 USD

3 - "Ancient Desert - Midnight Ascension", Ink, Watercolour & Acrylics on Canvas, 33 cm x 67 cm, 2023, 500 USD

4 - "Flowing Skies & Desert Spies", Watercolour & Ink on Paper, 36 cm x 48 cm, 2023, 300 USD

5 - "The Dragon in the Mermaid", Ink & Watercolour on Canvas, 30 cm x 40 cm, 2023, 200 USD