ELEVATE YOUR ART MAGAZINE: June 2022

ARTIST FEATURE

Russell Kinerson

DO WHAT YOU LOVE

RUSSELL’S VENTURE IN PAINTING BEGAN ABOUT 40 YEARS AGO WITH WATERCOLORS. HE DECIDED TO GET BACK TO HIS ROOTS AND TAKE HIS PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE NEXT LEVEL. EXCEPT THIS TIME, HE WAS LOOKING THROUGH A WHOLE DIFFERENT LENS.

Little did Russell know that when he joined Beyond the Brushes back in June 2020, he was in for an enjoyable and addictive challenge. His love for this planet and his formal training in environmental sciences have been his kindling to get started and his fuel to keep going. All of his photographic efforts began because of those two things, and the result was beautiful captures of landscapes and wildlife.

For Russell, it was only natural that he was drawn to paint that which he loves. The majority of his paintings are derived from his photographs, and you can see just why that is in this series. For the mountain lion, the background was altered to make it a bit more interesting. For the meadow, the moose were added as a focal feature, but no worries, they have been painted into a region where they would naturally occur.

For the geese, several other geese had to be removed, and the background was simplified to draw the viewer’s eye. As for the artist, (yes, Russell photographed an artist painting and then painted him), he found the artist’s approach to painting to be a source of encouragement and aided in his learning to loosen up and simplify the image. If there is anything Russell struggled with in this series, it is exactly that.

After being a photographer and learning all of the rules, it is difficult to let go of the tendency for photo-realism. However, becoming more comfortable with letting go of that tendency is a freeing experience and actually ended up being the best part of painting the series as well. Russell achieved this through employing freehand work. Once he began working freehand, it became easier to take a painterly view and realize that not everything he saw had to be copied. A lot of detail could be left for the viewer’s eyes to fill in.

While working on this series, Russell allowed nature to direct the color choice for his palette, and the Bristle Multi-Painter Wet brush rose to the top of his favorites. However, if Russell could pick to be any brush, he’s leaving the digital age and going back to his roots in watercolors once more with his statement, “the one that’s well worn but not dried out.” That thought is pretty fitting for what Russell’s key piece of advice is for developing artists.

“Do what you love. Love what you do. You’re doing this for yourself. Relax and enjoy the process.”

RUSSELL IS A RETIRED ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTIST WITH THE PH.D. TO PROVE IT. WHEN HE RETIRED, HE DECIDED IT WAS HIGH TIME HE EXERCISED THE OTHER HEMISPHERE OF HIS BRAIN FOR A WHILE.