Russell’s career is animated by his role as an art teacher and First Grade Aide, where he finds new life for his art in the laughter of his students, and great potential in their classroom conversations. He says, “I know I could pursue full-time art, but I just love working with these kids.” His makeshift studio – just a brief walk from the classroom where he teaches – is filled with his early pieces and remnants of trials with different papers, moisture applications, and paints. For Russell, each day is a new canvas, where his daily mop paintings are a new journal entry in his diary. In between teaching classes, Russell intuitively paints with a mop outside on a large canvas and films the process, which adds to his growing collection on Instagram @PangaeanStudios.

Though the Old Orchard school is home, Russell’s artwork has taken him far beyond Campbell, California. Guided by the success of his original handstamping technique, Russell traveled to New York City for the 2014 Global Citizen Festival. There, he painted them a hand portrait of Nelson Mandela. The portrait was then displayed in Beyonce and Eddie Vedder set during their rendition of the “Redemption Song” – a powerful visual for resistance, equality, and connection. Russell also created a personal stamp for Malala, signed by Beyonce, Jay Z, and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

No matter which roads Russell travels, events he attends, or projects he completes, he finds great value in the therapeutic capabilities of his craft. He finds grace, originality, and congruence in what a canvas and a set of paints can accomplish. For him, art is all about connection, with the name “Pangaean Studios” symbolizing our organic, meaningful connections with one another. His hands help him spread that very message. They’re the hands that have wiped his student’s tears, created lesson plans, fixed broken pieces, and created authentic pieces that, time and time again, speak the language of togetherness without saying a single word.