On Saturday, March 1, at 11:30 a.m., Mount Vernon’s Abbe Creek Gallery (ACG), 105 First St. NW, will host a chance to probe the creative mind of Russell John Lumb.
The gallery’s current Featured Artist, he is a retired architect from England.
Now of Iowa City, Russell’s drawing, painting and printmaking creations predominantly explore the human figure and particularly portraiture.
Russell’s multi-colored paintings and drypoint etchings line the ACG front walls, comprising his contemporary exhibit Face Value, which runs through March 15.
Russell began life-drawing more than 50 years ago. Featured are 38 original, dynamic, intensely colorful, sometimes mystical portraits birthed in a creative reservoir deep within Russell’s mind.
Seeing his work is akin to being enveloped by friends and mythical characters.
As an architect, Russell specialized in retail, hotel, school and residential design.
In retirement, his artistic journey exploded, manifesting itself into hundreds of prints and imaginative creations.
“My architectural work was extremely controlled and regulated. Lines had to be accurate with no freedom of expression in drawing,” he opined, adding, “I now pride myself in achieving a likeness through expression, not accuracy. To make a painting more interesting, I needed to be much more relaxed and expressive.”
Russell’s journey is unveiled sequentially on the ACG walls. The result is an other-worldly collection of portraits derived from friends or study of some of William Shakespeare’s renowned characters.
“I got to the point when a portrait would be taken for granted, then it became the question of how to make it more interesting. Doing so is part of a long development process,” he explained.
A free-flowing display, his complex exhibit also results from a mechanical process which involves photography, manipulation on computers, tissue paper, down printing with ink, and carefully applied reversal.
“I produce a printed image on panel, then I work into it with graphite pencil, more acrylic and finally adding a sealing coat,” Russell detailed. “It’s a mix of old fashioned and newfangled tools. It all starts with original painting.”
Thus, Russell can’t produce exact duplications but can make similarities. His art is truly a one-of-a-kind original.
“I hope people take pleasure in viewing my work. That’s also what drives me to make art, my own joy,” a smiling Russell concluded.
Russell John Lumb will share his artist journey with all on Saturday, March 1, at the Abbe Creek Gallery. Showtime is 11:30 a.m.