about Russell

Russell is regarded as the nation’s leading authority on contemporary marine art.

In 1982, Russell joined the Mystic Maritime Gallery at the Mystic Seaport Museum in Connecticut, where he became Director and served in that capacity for many years before opening his own gallery specializing in marine art in 1997.

PUBLICATIONS

*Marine Art News*

From 2000 to 2016 Russell published *Marine Art News*, the nation’s only publication dedicated to contemporary marine art and artists. You can read back issues here.

Bound for Blue Water.png — *Bound for Blue Water*

In 2003 Russell wrote *Bound for Blue Water* which is considered the definitive guide to contemporary marine art.

AWARDS

The Lifetime Achievement Award

Awarded by The American Society of Marine Artists in 2017, in recognition of Russell’s leadership in the field of marine art (shown above: ASMA President Kim Shaklee and Russell at the Awards Dinner in Mystic, Connecticut).

The Eastman Johnson Award

Awarded by The Union League Club of New York City in 2021, in recognition of Russell’s contributions in art and culture that have elevated the ideals of American citizenship - named in honor of one of the founders of The Metropolitan Museum of Art. (shown above: Jules Vachon and Russell at the Union League Club Award Presentation).

Russell grew up boating and fishing on Long Island Sound, in Old Greenwich, Connecticut. After graduating from Taft School, he studied art and art history at the Sir John Cass School of Art in London and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Cornell University.

Russell served as a program director for the Silvermine Guild of Artists in New Canaan, CT, the nation’s oldest guild of artists. He was the art columnist for the Connecticut Post newspaper for six years and his reviews appeared regularly in Art New England. In 1995, became the director of the Big Horn Galleries in Fairfield, CT, which also operated galleries in Aspen, CO, Cody, WY and Carmel, CA. He served as juror for many exhibitions including three years for the prestigious National Art for the Parks Exhibition.

Opened in Fairfield, Connecticut in 1997, the J. Russell Jinishian Gallery, is now considered the Nation’s Premier Marine Art Gallery, Russell moved the gallery to Stonington, Connecticut in 2019.

Russell has written many articles on marine art for numerous publications, including Sailing, Sea History, Soundings, and Windcheck magazine. For several years, he was a contributing editor to Nautical World magazine, penning the popular “Bridge Wing” column.

Russell sits on the advisory board of the National Maritime Historical Society. He was a member of the New York Yacht Club for many years, and is an honorary member of the American Society of Marine Artists.

Russell has lectured nationally on marine art and collecting.