Born in 1968, Russell Gordon received his undergraduate and graduate education at the Schuler School of Fine Arts, in Baltimore, Maryland. Pulling archetypes from a different artistic heritage (that of Dutch and Flemish still life painting) Gordon makes similar observations about contemporary life. His compositions feature iconography rooted in tradition, but composed for a modern world. Within classical arrangements of exotic edibles, well-worn books and common household objects, Gordon draws parallels between modern life and themes that resonate across the ages. In subtle details and layered symbolism, he pays homage to vanitas still life paintings from the late seventeenth century, while infusing his subject with his own personal sense of humor and irony.
Gordon creates an alternate universe that looks and feels almost exactly like this one, reveling in perfect moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. “I want to paint something with crystal clarity and sharp focus…something that engages the viewer regardless of whether they ever find the treasures I
