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| Full information about the artist |
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| First Name | John |
| Last Name | Russell |
| Country | United States |
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| Biography | |
Artist's Statement:
My entire artistic life has been impelled by the subliminal suspicion that there must be more to drawing and painting than laboring to duplicate something as precisely as possible on paper or canvas: Get a camera! (I say that without rancor: Iâm also a photographer.)
What I wanted was a way to portray the energies, the feelings, the thoughts and emotions that lie behind the physical, objective natures of things. I thought that if I could discover such a method it might enable me to convey a specific subject matter, circumstance, or state of being to the viewer without utilizing the traditional visual cues to do so.
That was when I became aware of the New York School of Abstract Expressionists, Jackson Pollock in particular. The awareness of this particular school of art enabled me, after much study, to discover a true action painting technique that has finally allowed me to express my true intentions on the canvas and to be successful in the transmission and communication of those intentions to others.
It has been an extremely effective method of artistic communication: a viewer will stand before one of my paintings and experience the energies it possesses, and they will allow their self to feel the emotions which it evokes. Even more exciting is the fact that many times the viewer will, having no "realistic" or "objective" visual cues as to my painting's subject matter, nonetheless sense that the painting relates to or represents a specific subject matter or condition!
Viewers have correctly interpreted subject matters as diverse as: the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; flowers; roller coasters; sailing ships, and radio waves, as well as varying emotional states which I have represented on the canvas, all the while having no "realistic" or "objective" visual cues from which to draw their conclusions!
So at last I am able to abandon traditional realistic tools and paint in a manner which, for me, breathes life into the canvas, and enables me to stir the emotional responses I desire! What an amazing thing for an artist to be able to do: To be able to make the invisible, visible!
Artist's Biography:
I was born in New Mexico, and grew up in West Texas. I began drawing at the age of four and I began painting in my early teens. Of all the schools and theories of art that I have studied Abstract Expressionism has had the greatest influence on me, with Jackson Pollock's oeuvre becoming the seminal influence for my unique style of action painting.
I attended Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas, as an art major seeking teaching certification in order to teach art to others, but my entire life I have indulged my own passion for independent artistic study.
I eventually moved to New York and discovered that most of the things I was searching for artistically I already had, and I had left some of those things behind!
As Iâve entered my fifties, and moved to Florida (a sort of West Texas homecoming but with palm trees and lots more snakes), after all these years I feel like Iâm finally beginning to understand myself and my art. Itâs a pleasurable transition, and one Iâve searched for for a long time.
Juried / Group Exhibitions:
> Culture in Cornwall Advisory Committee, Cornwall, NY (2004)
> Cornwall Town Hall, Cornwall, NY (2004)
> Museum of the Hudson Highlands, Cornwall, NY (2004)
> Museum of the Hudson Highlands, Cornwall, NY (2003)
> The Peasant Village, San Angelo, TX (1996)
> Taste of Italy, San Angelo, TX (1996)
> Artists' Society Group Show, Houston Harte Gallery, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX (1994)
> Southwest Christmas Fine Arts Show sponsored by The Artists' Society, Historic Sante Fe Depot, San Angelo, TX (1994)
> The Funding Center, Alexandria, VA (1993)
> American Society of Interior Designers National Headquarters, Washington, D.C. (1993)
> The Michael Stone Collection, McLean, VA (1993)
> Historic Fort Concho presents "About Regional Talent," San Angelo, TX (1993)
> Galleria del Concho, San Angelo, TX (1993)
> The Michael Stone Collection, Washington, D.C. (1992-1993)
> The Michael Stone Collection "Art in Public Spaces" Programs, D.C. and VA (1992-1993)
> Infinity Enterprises Show, Seattle, WA (1990)
> Infinity Enterprises Show, Dallas, TX (1990)
> Canaan Gallery and Interior Designs, Midland, TX (1989-1990)
> Gallery 1114, Midland, TX (1989-1990)
> Calla Gallery, San Angelo, TX (1988-1989)
> Houston Harte Gallery, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX (1987)
> Iman's Gallery, San Angelo, TX (1986-1987)
> Kendall Art Gallery, San Angelo, TX (1986)
Solo Exhibitions:
> Village Gift Shop, Riverdale, NY (2005)
> Village Gift Shop, Riverdale, NY (2004)
> Culture in Cornwall Advisory Committee, Cornwall, NY (2003)
> Village Gift Shop, Riverdale, NY (2001-2003)
> The Peasant Village, San Angelo, TX (1996)
> The Peasant Village, San Angelo, TX (1995)
> Calla Gallery, San Angelo, TX (1989)
> Downtown San Angelo Association Public Spaces Show, San Angelo, TX (1988)
Invitational Exhibitions:
> "Visions and Choices III," San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts, San Angelo, TX (1996)
> "Visions and Choices II," San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (1992)
> "Visions and Choices," San Angelo Museum of Fine Arts (1986)
Selected Comments:
"Good, strong, original work." Mr. Ivan Karp, O.K. Harris Works of Art, New York City
"This work has to be viewed in person to fully appreciate it. The colors are retina knock-outs! Powerful work." Carol Poppenga
"Your work is very lively, lyrical, and makes me feel like I'm in a jazz club in New Orleans." Faye Earnest, Faye Earnest Studio
"....your work is obviously of high quality." Ms. Lorraine Sheahan, Ergane Gallery, NYC
"Some truly fantastic abstractions----bright, colorful, uplifting." Mr. Robert W. Galitz, Robert Galitz Fine Art, IL
"....your paintings are quite beautiful, quite remarkable." Mr. David Geffen, Geffen Records, DreamWorks SKG
"Never really appreciated this type of art until I saw your work."
"Your titles for your paintings are insightful and imaginative."
"The painting gets better each passing day. Thanks a bunch." Dr. Jay K. Amburgey, Professor of Mathematics, Angelo State University, San Angelo, TX
"Richly textured, explosively colored. Your work is beautiful!"
"Sometimes, particularly after a hard days work, I will come home and just sit in front of your painting, often for thirty minutes or more at a time. Gazing at your artwork relaxes me and recharges me. It's both very calming and stimulating in positive ways; art therapy. Your art is not only beautiful, it serves, in a very metaphysical way, as an object of meditation."
"Your art is Visual Jazz!"
"Your art is deep and passionate. You are able to translate your vision onto canvas in such a way that the experience comes alive. It is viewed with one's eyes but felt by oneâs heart!" Marjorie Russell |
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