Quiet, introspective images of side streets and empty windows dominate Russ Wilson’s world.
“My earliest experiences of the world were through the side windows of an old Pontiac, as our family made endless trips throughout the South and beyond,” Wilson said.
“Travelling through town after town, I began to envision the life that went on behind those faded facades and beyond the rolling hills. My job becomes part artist, part director, as I script the narrative of an image.”
Wilson’s work has a timeless quality, a play of light and shadow that reflects the influences of some of his heroes, artists like Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth.
His latest show will appear at the First Street Gallery running through Jan. 6, 2016.
Wilson states, “I am drawn to the feeling and light of the coastal south which helps to define my subject matter. I am a representational artist, but more than just representation, I want the viewer to see the abstract beauty of the forms and the subtle play of light on the surfaces.”
Wilson will be introducing some of his newer seascapes, as well as showing his humorous side, with linoleum cuts and fanciful oils that celebrate the funky, slightly offbeat nature of our beach communities.
Like many painters before him, Russ Wilson began his career as a commercial illustrator.
With a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Florida State University, Wilson created work for a variety of national clients before devoting himself to his own visions of Florida, past and present.
The First Street Gallery is located at 216-B First Street in Neptune Beach. Call (904) 241-6928 for more information, or visit www.firststreetgalleryart.com.
