Roman Shustrov Born in St Petersburg in 1959, graduated from the Repin Academy of Arts. Since the late 1980s he has worked in the genre of author dolls. Roman Ivanovich taught at the Higher School of Fashion and Applied Arts, in the Puppet Department. For several years he taught at the University of Arts and Humanities. At the end of the 90s he became a member of the Union of Artists of Russia. Since the beginning of 2000s he has been a member of MOAK, an international organisation uniting professional and amateur doll artists.

Roman Shustrov was the first Maecenas and Trustee of the Museum of Unique Things, who gave us the image of the Angel - as a symbol, as the spirit of culture and art, protector and patron of all Artists! He did not call his works dolls, saying they were sculptures.

His works are very recognisable, a bit eccentric, each with a St Petersburg mood, as if grey on the outside but light and kind on the inside.

The artist's work can be seen not only at exhibitions, in museums and galleries, but also in shop windows of St Petersburg cafés and on the streets of the city, as a gift to fellow countrymen.

Images of angels began to appear in Roman Shustrov's works in the early period of his work. The artist saw angelic features in the faces of elderly people.

Maria Kasyanenko - Roman Shustrov's wife

Maria Kasyanenko was a vibrant and distinctive puppeteer.

She created cute and funny characters out of papier-mâché, wood, textiles and stone.

Sculptor Roman Shustrov and artist Maria Kasyanenko were married 15 years ago.

It was a remarkably harmonious union.

Together they ran puppet-making workshops, which were invariably popular with both novice and professional artists.

 "The sad angel on Karpovka, in memory of the dead medics, was Roman and Maria's last joint project. 

It was the saddest of all the good-natured and joyful characters.

Maria could not survive her husband's passing and soon followed him...

A couple of St Petersburg puppeteers have two unfinished projects left. In the near future, Roman's sculpture 'Petersburg Old Woman' may appear on the Petrograd side. Shustrov was walking in the park and spotted a "true Petersburger", elderly, old-fashioned dressed and with a dog.

Roman's latest dream was to create an art and public space on Matis Island.

They liked to make fun of each other, they came up with funny names. He called her Mania, she called him Romuald

The artists' works are in private collections from Russia to France, Norway, the USA and other countries.

In memory of Roman Shustrov and his wife, Maria Kasyanenko, the Museum of the St Petersburg Angels was opened. Read the publication.

Photo from public sources on the internet