Russ Walker

Wildlife & Western Art

Russ Walker was born in Southern Oregon, and was raised on a small farm on the famous Rogue River. From an early age Russ was sketching and painting wildlife and the landscapes around his home. Artistic desire and a love for the wild country, together with observations of wildlife and their habits, guide Russ in his paintings. To put it in Russ's words- "I can't imagine what my life would be without painting and being able to go out in the country. Growing up on the farm I spent many mornings and evenings listening to coyotes hunting on the mountains and awaking to geese flying low overhead." Living in the environment he paints is a major ingredient of Russ's paintings.

Those early years in the Pacific Northwest during the 1950's and 60's allowed Russ to grow up in a mostly uncluttered environment.

The inspiration for his paintings results from time in the mountains and wilderness. This region has always been the home of an extra ordinary range of wildlife. Even as the world enters a new century the Pacific Northwest still finds a great many of its natural resources intact. There remain great tracts of wilderness, beautiful lakes, rivers and magnificent mountains providing a lifetime of inspiration and references.

Russ married Alice Clark from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Together they have five sons and two daughters. Russ and Alice find great joy in their family and church.

Russ spent two years in Alaska, British Columbia and the Yukon for his church. Russ spent another nine years in the military, ending up in the Texas Army National Guard, in an Air Borne unit.

APPROACH TO ART

"I love painting, it energizes my life."

Russ's primary objective is to allow the viewer to see wildlife as it is without the dressing of society.

"I work diligently to portrait the subject just as it is, with all the nicks and scars. When you sit on a timber ridge and see the way nature has put things together you then know what I'm trying to put in my art. There is a certain feeling for each time of the day and season. The way an animal is standing or looking tells me what that animal is thinking. You know where they bed, where they feed and where the animal should be. Maybe I can help someone hang on the wall something they have never seen, or may never see again for whatever reason."

In the creation of Russ's art, wildlife and wilderness landscapes are his favorite subjects. "It is a great privilege to create a story through pictures, bringing to view much that is unseen by the public." The routine of life in nature is generally unknown and passed by as we hurry through our lives. "Maybe some part of my art will catch your attention and cause you to pause a moment and reflect on what you see, wondering is that the way it really is. There is beauty and order out there, when put together with what man has built we can become complete."

"My goal is to do the best I can and tell the story as it really is not necessarily as we would like it to be."

MAJOR SHOWS

Phippen Museum Show - Prescott, AZ, Memorial Day weekend.

Death Valley Show - Furnace Creek Ranch, November each year.

GALLERIES

Philinda Gallery - 0105 Edwards Village Blvd. - Unit #D106 - Edwards, CO 81632 - (970) 926-9265

Treasure Memories - 247 Northwest E Street - Grants Pass, OR 97526 - (541) 479-5982