Biography of William Russell
William Russell is a multi-disciplinary artist. For 40+ years, his creative life has included fine art, illustration, visual journalism, teaching and web design. William has shown his work in a variety of settings including Stanford University, SFMoMA Artists Gallery, Marin MOCA, California College of the Arts in San Francisco, Sofie Contemporary in Calistoga and Reactor Gallery in Toronto, Canada. His paintings can be found in private collections throughout the Bay area and in Canada.
Born and raised in Canada, William went on to earn his degree from Parsons School of Design in New York. For eight years he was an adjunct professor of Illustration at CCA. In 2010, he had art residencies at Recology San Francisco in 2018 and at the Kala Art Institute, Berkeley in 2010.
William stays creative working in a variety of media and skill sets, including web site designer, illustrator and visual journalist. His Substack called Illustrated Journalism is about reportage and reportage art.
Solo Exhibitions:
2023 Winter’s Bloom, Sofie Arts Contemporary, Calistoga, CA
2022 Ice Show, Marin Museum of Contemporary Art, Novato, CA
2015 Stanford Art Spaces, Palo Alto, CA
2012 Siren Salon, San Anselmo, CA
2012 123 Bolinas, Fairfax, CA
2011 Recology Sketchbook & Prints, San Francisco A.I.R. Exhibition
2010 Hunters Point Open Studios, SF, CA
2008 Bay Area Sound Studios, San Rafael, CA
2008 Hunters Point Open Studios, SF, CA
2006 Center for the Book, SF, CA
2005-17 Marin Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
2000 Reactor Gallery, Toronto, Canada
Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Eco Evolution: Power for Change, Sausalito Center for the Arts, Sausalito, CA
2022 Contemporary Botanicals, Art Works Downtown, San Rafael, CA
2019 Transcend, Member show, MarinMoCA, Novato, CA
2019 Marin Fair, San Rafael, CA
2019 So Far, Sofie Arts Contemporary, Calistoga, CA
2018 New Naturals, Sofie Contemporary Arts, Calistoga, CA
2018 Reflections: After the Fire, Sonoma State Art Gallery, Rohnert Park, CA
2018 Tell Me a Story, O’Hanlon Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, CA
2018 The Fire and the Rose are One, Sofie Arts Contemporary, Calistoga, CA
2017 SF Open Studios, The Farm, San Francisco, CA
2017 Contemporary Landscape, MarinMoCA, Novato, CA
2017 Beginnings, Route One Gallery, Pt. Reyes, CA
2016 Summer National Juried Competition, MarinMoCA, Novato, CA
2014 SoFoSix, San Rafael, CA
2009 Bad Acid, Propeller, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2007 IndexG Gallery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
2006-8 National Juried Competition, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, CA
2006-7 National Juried Competition, MarinMOCA, Novato, CA
2007 The Garage Gallery at Embarcadero Auto, Sand Francisco, CA
Private Collections:
Kala Art Institute, Berkeley, CA
Marshall Crossman, San Francisco, CA
Jeremy Stone, San Francisco, CA
DeDe Wilsey, San Francisco, CA
James Orr, Toronto, Canada
Donna Benitez, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Shelia Bannon, San Rafael, CA
Other Information:
-taught illustration at the California College of the Arts, San Francisco, CA, 1993-2000
-created utility box painting, Dublin, CA 2020
-held leadership positions at Graphic Artists Guild and spoke on artist advocacy panels, 2003-2005
-artist-in-residence at Kala Art Center, Berkeley, CA 2018
-made presentations at California College of the Arts, Art Academy, SFAI, Hartford Art School, etc., 1994-2015
-created digital projections for Stages: A Solo Work about Life Shifts, No Strings Attached Dance Company Awakenings, Beginnings Dance Festival, Los Angeles, CA 2015
-artist-in-residence at Recology San Francisco, 2010
-created Greek Vase/Street Scene heart sculpture, Hearts-in-San Francisco, in support of the SF General Hospital Fund, San Francisco, CA, 2004
-represented by San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2014-2021
-featured in video, Bill Russell – Artist Sketches, Spirit House Productions, 2021
-created a large linocut print for Center for the Book Steamroller Event, San Francisco, CA, 2006