Răileanu Estela

About

Estela Răileanu is a contemporary visual artist and internationally renowned illustrator, known for her innovative approach to figurative art. Born in 1987 in Chisinau, Moldova, she built her career on solid studies in visual arts, completing her Painting studies at the Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts, followed by a master's degree in Filmmaking and Animation in 2014. As a children's book illustrator, Estela has collaborated with numerous publishing houses both in her home country and internationally, illustrating over 100 books published in 15 different languages, several of which won awards at international book fairs in 2013, 2014, and 2016. Estela's professional journey is characterized by versatility and innovation, combining traditional illustration with digital and stop-motion animation. In 2017, she founded her own company, Loopina Creative Studio, which evolved into a full-service studio offering 2D/3D animation, editorial design, and game art. Her activity has also extended into education, teaching animation at the Faculty of Visual Arts and Design of the "Ion Creangă" State Pedagogical University since 2023, and in 2024 she received a Fulbright scholarship at the University of Central Florida, where she deepened her knowledge in character animation and production processes. As a visual artist, Estela passionately explores the complex female world and challenges societal perceptions of ideal beauty, recasting female figures into new identities with Bauhaus sensibilities. Her works are situated at the intersection of Expressionism and Pop Art, addressing themes of consumerism and ego in the contemporary social context. Her participation in international exhibitions, such as the one dedicated to multiculturalism with 100 artists exhibited at the UN headquarters in New York, confirms the global recognition of her contribution to contemporary art and visual art.