PICTURES OF THE WEEK: Artist Larry Russell Identifies as a "Closet Artist"-- Find Out Why!

"Secret Admirer" -- three paintings in one featuring a cartoon-like man with a bow tie. Scroll down to view more of Larry's work....

North Carolina artist, Larry Russell, has a great sense of humor and a bold sense of color. He identifies himself as a "closet artist" only because the majority of his art has been in a closet for decades. Now that he's semi-retired, he'd like to release his art to the world and watch what happens! His art style varies from abstract to modern expression.

ARTIST STATEMENT:

I was born in 1950 on "Wall Street." No joke! Actually, it's a street in North Carolina. A mid-wife delivered me in a house in Laurinburg. Notably, my birth certificate listed my race as "COLORED." So, I am a person of color. 

I discovered that I am dyslexia in my 60s even though I always used creative methods to navigate the disability.  As the third oldest of 7 siblings I was the first  in the family to graduate from HBCUs earning both my undergraduate and Masters degrees. 

Creativity is a natural blessing in my family's DNA. My father, who was of Black and Native American descent, served in the U.S. Navy and retired as a Master Brick mason.  My mother also black, transition from farm labor to a cafeteria worker and eventually retiring from Abbott Laboratories. 

I identify myself as a "Closet Artist." Why? Most of my art has been in a closet for decades.  Now, it's time to cut the closet umbilical cord and share my art with the world.  

Contact information and list of attached art is as follows:

Larry Russell 

Email Address- retneer2003@gmail.com 

Website where some of his art is posted- https:/www.yessy.com/retneer2003/gallery.html

"Golden Girl" -- a ballet dancer with a golden afro

"Black Cotton" -- a black hand picking cotton -- Larry picked cotton at age 7!

Girl in Glasses -- a girl with blonde hair and glasses based on a photo of Larry's great-granddaughter remixed using AI

2 + 2 -- two boys of different races and two fish showing them getting along while fishing.

"Sisterhood" -- two girls, one black and one white, representing racial unity.