Russell T. Gordon facts for kids
Russell T. Gordon (born July 3, 1936 – died November 2013) was an American artist who created paintings and prints. In 1973, he moved to Montreal, Canada. There, he became a professor at Concordia University until he retired in 1998.
Early Life and Education
Russell T. Gordon was born in Philadelphia in 1936. He went to college and earned several degrees. He received his first art degree from Temple University in 1962. Later, he earned two more degrees from the University of Wisconsin in 1966 and 1967.
When he first started college, Russell planned to study math. He even played basketball on a scholarship! But eventually, he decided to change his main focus to art before he graduated. He even played professional basketball for a short time before fully dedicating himself to his art career.
Art Career and Style
Russell Gordon taught art at many universities and art schools. He was an Assistant Professor at the University of California-Berkeley. He also taught at Mills College and Concordia University in Montreal.
His artwork is displayed in many important museums and private collections. You can find his pieces at the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco. His art is also at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec in Canada.
Russell Gordon explained that his art often combines different ideas or things. He liked to mix and match elements to create something new and interesting. He didn't want his art to be put into one specific "style" box. He believed it was important to use many different ideas and even show opposites in his work. He felt that showing differences could make a stronger statement.
He also thought that images, like words, get their meaning from how and where they are used. An abstract picture might mean one thing in one setting and something else in a new place. This way, his art could remind people of different meanings.
Art expert Maurice Forget described Gordon's work as rich in detail and color. He said Gordon used many shapes and forms. Forget also noted that Gordon's art explored deep ideas about life. It showed how a person can shape their own future and achieve their goals.
Gordon's art also showed his own journey and growth as a person. As an African-American man, he explored universal truths in his work. His art reflected events in his own life. He broke free from the challenges of his early life in Philadelphia. Through his art, he found freedom and a bright way of looking at human life.
Awards
- 1972 - George C. Marshall Fellowship, Denmark
- 1975 - MacDowell Fellowship, New Hampshire
- 1981 - National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient
- 1986 - Award of Excellence from The Museum of Science and Industry
Exhibitions
- 1985 Masks with Robert Holland Murray, Maison de la culture Côte-des-Neiges, Montreal.
