Recently

Statement from Morris Graves and Kay Russell exhibition:

September 2012

It has been over four years since I had my sabbatical leave from City College of San Francisco and a residency at“ The Lake.”  It was an invaluable gift in time and place to be able to work on my paintings and to study the work, process, materials, and ideas used by Morris Graves. It was enlightening to look at partially finished paintings, papers, blotters, sponges, brushes, and paints that he had used. Having access to Morris’s house, the property (“The Lake”), and talking with Robert and Desiree Yarber, ( the directors) also enriched the experience hugely. I was always  attracted to the “spirit” of Grave’s images, that ability to paint the essence of subject matter without being literal. I wanted to achieve my own personal variation of this ability, to connect with the moment, and take back his vision and knowledge to my students from City College.

During my sabbatical, I not only looked at Morris Graves, but also studied the works of Chiura Obata. Both painters were known for bringing together elements of East and West and shared many characteristics. However, my time at the “The Lake,” had been so influential, that it was there that I concentrated best and formed the ideas for the majority of my work. Upon returning to City College, my students became involved in his history and technique, and with their own choice of personal subject matter,  entered enthusiastically into their own fresh, versions of studies of Graves work. They created over 100 works which were shown in a gallery adjacent to my own exhibition. It was great!

Since then, the path of my own work has moved a great distance. Some of the paintings in this exhibition, which were started at “The Lake,” were influenced, not only by the work of Morris, but also by walks in the woods, and the weather.........rain, hail, snow, and tender young, April plants at “The Lake.” I felt this protected environment held elements which were compatible with my own ideas about contemplation, spirit, and environment.  I made landscapes of rain, trying to convey the meditative poetry of the moment and the essence of the atmosphere. I had brought with me previously made watercolor paper backgrounds, already begun with the idea of atmosphere in mind. This suited me. I had created these as monotypes which evoked images of backgrounds done by Graves in his early and late work. Over the backgrounds, I worked with watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and thread. I painted rocks, ferns, leaves in the rain. Sometimes just the rain. And then went on to more personal objects......a series of my Mother’s hats, floating,  ..... a new series of my Mother’s evening bags, floating, and dropping their contents of spirit and identity into the air. The spirit of these objects is reverent, whimsical, and often melancholy. ...an intuitive expression of the object’s essential nature.

I have retired from my full-time teaching position with City College as of late May, 2012.
But, I am still teaching.

Watercolor Classes

Held at my studio in San Rafael,
some experience needed.

Contact Kay for information

415-302-2066

kay@kayrussell.com

Gray Eagle / Sierra Buttes Workshop

(this will be our 17th year here)

The beautiful lodge provides all meals while we stay in cozy housekeeping cabins.
Each day we paint in a new location from which we focus on trees, waterfalls,
water reflections, and blue skies.

I was chosen to be a featured artist in the Fall, 2009 issue of
American Artist Watercolor Magazine.
Click on the image below to download the article.

Over the past twenty years, I have conducted watercolor and drawing tours to Mexico,
Costa Rica, Tahiti, Corsica, France, Italy, Greece and England. I also lead an annual
watercolor workshop in the Lakes Basin area of the Sierra Mountains in Northern California.

Contact me for information

415-302-2066

kay@kayrussell.com

Recent trips include:

Skopelos, Greece | Spring 2010

La Romita, Italy | Spring 2008 | www.laromita.org

West Dean College, England | Spring 2007 | www.westdean.org.uk

Skopelos, Greece | Spring 2006 | www.skopart.org