Russell Simmons
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Blue Man
Acrylic & in mixed-media on canvas, 24 x 36 in., 2012, $1000
Acrylic & in mixed-media on canvas, 24 x 36 in., 2012, $1000
Blue man with Harp is a mystical painting about African influences on Caribbean culture. It also tries to capture the colorful costumes of Caribbean parades.
About The Artist
Artist Statement
I have been painting, off and on, for 40 years. I am an abstract artist influenced by the Washington Color School, Africa and African artifacts and contemporary social issues. Social justice, slavery and discrimination are often contained in my work.
I have been fortunate enough to have been selected for a number of shows and I have been featured in several newspaper articles.I like to paint relatively large works and I like color most of all. Some of my work has been semi-abstract with African influenced figures while others have been purely abstract. I am also mostly self-taught.
I am very comfortable being a mixed media artist in that I am unafraid to use untraditional materials in my work. As I go along this journey, I find myself wanting to do more three-dimensional work than I have done in the past. For now though two-dimensional mixed media works are good for me.
Bio
Russell Simmons is a retired banker, Sr. Vice President for Business and Community Development at Riggs Bank from 1994 to 2004. After retiring from Riggs, he started a consulting firm (Community Development Concepts, Inc.) that provides advice to non- profit groups and other clients in real estate development, management and strategic planning. Prior to working at Riggs Bank, he worked at Citibank as a commercial loan officer for community development real estate transactions. He also worked for various agencies in the DC Government. He has served on various non-profit board of directors, including being Chairman of the Board of Directors of the DC Housing Authority.
Mr. Simmons is also an artist and received a BA and MA from Howard University in Economics. He resides in the District of Columbia with his family.
I have been painting, off and on, for 40 years. I am an abstract artist influenced by the Washington Color School, Africa and African artifacts and contemporary social issues. Social justice, slavery and discrimination are often contained in my work.
I have been fortunate enough to have been selected for a number of shows and I have been featured in several newspaper articles.I like to paint relatively large works and I like color most of all. Some of my work has been semi-abstract with African influenced figures while others have been purely abstract. I am also mostly self-taught.
I am very comfortable being a mixed media artist in that I am unafraid to use untraditional materials in my work. As I go along this journey, I find myself wanting to do more three-dimensional work than I have done in the past. For now though two-dimensional mixed media works are good for me.
Bio
Russell Simmons is a retired banker, Sr. Vice President for Business and Community Development at Riggs Bank from 1994 to 2004. After retiring from Riggs, he started a consulting firm (Community Development Concepts, Inc.) that provides advice to non- profit groups and other clients in real estate development, management and strategic planning. Prior to working at Riggs Bank, he worked at Citibank as a commercial loan officer for community development real estate transactions. He also worked for various agencies in the DC Government. He has served on various non-profit board of directors, including being Chairman of the Board of Directors of the DC Housing Authority.
Mr. Simmons is also an artist and received a BA and MA from Howard University in Economics. He resides in the District of Columbia with his family.