Rebecca Russow
Statement
I love experimenting with a variety of materials including paper, wax, metal, clay, and pigment. Striving to create harmony and cohesiveness from diverse components is like finding commonalities with people who hold different views. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t – but we learn from our attempts.
I like a challenge and seldom give up. I attempt to create unity through layering, adding textures, colors, lines, texts and/or graphics. The piece eventually comes together as a whole…and if it doesn’t, I follow the advice of a former instructor and know that I am not finished yet!
My goal is to hold the viewer’s attention for a sustained amount of time, allowing them to consider the title of the piece and hopefully make personal connections to the artwork.
Background
I spent nearly twenty years raising a family and teaching art. Long ago, my professor predicted I would “only became a teacher” if I married a business major. However, I loved teaching art and it gives me great satisfaction when I hear from former students who became professional artists, illustrators, art teachers or who simply grew up to appreciate the art and world around them. (And I'm still happily married!)
Using lessons on perspective and problem solving, I was able to build strong relationships with students, staff, and the community in a unique, memorable manner during my ten years as a school principal.
Upon retirement, I ran a successful photography business in the Chicago area and in 2019, I truly retired and began to just make art. Since that time, I’ve been active with various art leagues, had work selected for juried shows, and have started selling my artwork.