Cheryl Russell’s work is deeply informed by social issues, often centering feminism, equality, courage, and the search for meaning through abstract and figurative expressionism.
A former marketing firm owner, Russell is now fully dedicated to her art practice and creative business. She has exhibited widely across Texas, received multiple honors including the Clelie Ann Moore Scholarship, and her work is held in international collections.
An active member of Houston’s creative community, Russell serves on the board of the Visual Arts Alliance and regularly contributes to local exhibitions, public art projects, and collaborative initiatives. She earned her B.F.A. in Studio Art, summa cum laude, with a concentration in painting from Texas State University.
She is currently open to gallery representation, exhibitions, and collaborative opportunities.
Statement
My work is driven by the inner experiences that define us — the feelings, questions, and shifts that stay beneath the surface. I see the world through my own lived experience — as a woman, a feminist, and a person continually navigating meaning , connection, and the social issues that influence our lives — and that perspective shapes how I understand these fundamental complexities. I draw inspiration from people who are real, imagined, or invented outright, using all of this as a lens for the work, and I use that perspective to inform the work.
Painting is where these ideas take form. I work through layering — color, gesture, texture, and mark — building surfaces that hold both intention and instinct. My background in printmaking, collage, drawing, and bookmaking informs how I construct a painting, but painting remains the center of the studio. The process stays direct, responsive, and honest, allowing the work to shift as its direction becomes clearer.
I want viewers to recognize something of themselves in the work — a feeling they’ve held, a shift they’re considering, or a question they haven’t named yet. The paintings don’t dictate meaning; people take what they need, and that agency is part of the experience. When the work lands, it creates a moment of connection — a quiet sense of being understood or accompanied. Art functions as a dialogue — an exchange that connects experience, ideas, and people. My work offers recognition: a moment of shared humanity, vulnerability, and courage — where internal experience and presence meet without needing resolution.