BIOGRAPHY
Born in Chicago, July 9th, 1917 to Fanya and Solomon Scheinman. His parents
were active with a group of émigré intellectuals who influenced
and encouraged young Leo to develop his creative energies and capabilities. At
age ten, young Leo studied with the Russian academician Arloff, with whom he
developed his keen sense of observation; he already saw the world with his own
perspective and feeling.
In 1929, the family moved to New York City. Leo was enrolled in the school of
allied arts, where he studied with the stage designer Eugene Dunkel, and with
the Russian Futurist painter David Burliuck. Later Leo attended Textile High
School, where he gained skill in Carpentry, drafting, sculpture and metalwork.
After finishing high school Leo studied painting restoration at the
Metropolitan Museum of Art, employing some of the techniques of the old
masters.
Leo taught arts and crafts through the WPA program at several New York City
Locations. On the basis of this work, his life-long preoccupation with teaching
as a form of human contact was firmly rooted. During this period he studied
graphic design with Tony Valanos and Jan Bowles, his own execution reflecting
the "ash can" school of social realism. When the WPA arts project was
suspended, he devoted himself full-time to painting, graphics, and teaching.
In 1938, Leo met the Baroness von Rebay, as a result he received a small
monthly stipend from the museum of Non-Objective Art. Leo Russell sold two wood
sculptures to Solomon Guggenheim, works that became part of the permanent
collection. He participated in a Group Show at the museum with Mondrian, Calder
and many Abstract Artists from Europe and America.
During this time Leo was commissioned to do a mural of Stella Brooks, the
darling of the intelligentsia, at Georges's Tavern in Greenwich Village. He
also executed two murals for the annual parties of the nascent New York School,
whose membership reads like a who's who in contemporary art, including Jackson
Pollock, de Kooning, Guston and Kline. During this same period he was
commissioned by the architect Percival Goodman to paint a mural at the Jewish
community center in Wilksboro, PA. With work as a painter, sculptor, muralist,
under his belt he did work as a set designer for two off-Broadway plays by Paul
Goodman, "Jonah and the Whale" and "Faustina." At this time
he also tried the field of window display, and was immediately commissioned by
two of Americas's finest specialty and department stores -- Lord and Taylor and
Nieman Marcus. Mr. Russell's avant-garde approach to display, utilizing
advanced mechanical and electronic techniques in an unorthodox way, were later
to be imitated by the pop and Op artists of the 50's and 60's.
Mr. Russell was commissioned by UNICEF, a branch of the United Nations headed
by Mrs. Roosevelt, to design and install a U.N. exhibit -- "One
World"-- at the Brooklyn Museum. Mr. Russell also worked on special
effects for TV on the then number 1 rated family show, "Captain
Video". Many of the top science fiction writers, Issac Azimov, Werner von
Braun, and Arthur C. Clark, were staff advisors to the show, and the ideas
projected by them were realized with utmost authenticity. Mr. Russell also
designed two science fiction parks, space City in Lakewood, NJ and Spaceland in
Roosevelt Field. Additional TV work was always pursued including a globe
designed and constructed by Russell for CBS still spins daily to usher in
"As the World Turns".
Always very active in his art making Mr. Russell turned out enormous quantity
of Wood sculpture, paintings and lithographs, enough work for 11 one man shows
up to the time of his death in 1985. Included in our Inventory are literally
1,000's of pieces! We are showing a small quantity on our website, please email
us directly if you would like to see additional pieces.
contact us by
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