LEWISTON, ME — LA Arts is pleased to present its next gallery exhibit featuring the work of Lewiston artist Robert J. Russell. The show, entitled “Eclectic Thoughts,” runs from July 26 – September 7, 2024. An opening reception for the artist will be held on Friday, July 26 from 5:00pm – 8:00pm at LA Arts, 168 Lisbon Street, Lewiston, ME as part of the organization’s July Art Walk.

About the Work

“Eclectic Thoughts” showcases Russell’s original drawings, paintings, and collages and offers a glimpse into the mind of a creative visionary artist. His work, mostly rendered with Sharpie pens, includes many themes, from mandalas and “tower-temples” to mazes and geometric designs. Intricate and complicated, Russell uses bold abstract shapes and repetitive patterns to create mesmerizing pieces that demand the viewers’ time and attention.

About the Artist

A longtime Lewiston resident, Robert Russell has been creating art since he was a young child growing up in Lisbon Falls, ME. After graduating from high school in the late sixties, he pursued his interest in art by attending the Portland School of Fine and Applied Art (which is now the Maine College of Art & Design), Bates College in Lewiston, Bowdoin College in Brunswick, and the Arts Students League in New York City.

Russell is a quiet and introspective person who finds inspiration from many sources, but mainly from the pictures he sees in his head. He is also an extremely prolific artist, with a staggering personal collection of over 5000 signed and dated original pieces. Books, magazines, movies, and pop culture have fueled his work from the beginning and these elements continue to influence his art today. Russell observes the everyday world around him with an artist’s eye; even a contemplative walk examining the imperfect sidewalks in his Downtown Lewiston neighborhood can provide a flood of creative ideas.

At 73 years old, Russell has mastered his creative process as a way of being, starting and ending each day with a sketchbook in hand, ready to translate his ideas into bold and beautiful images.

Robert Russell, photo taken by Sheri Hollenbeck