Observations over an extended period reinterpreted into quirky visual art sum up my artwork. I react to personal events, social change and the psychological effect it has on a person or group. This is the source of most inspiration for my artwork.
Music is always thumping away in the back of my mind having played mainly drums in noisy post-punk, sometimes, bluesy and rocking bands since mid-1977. I love creating musical soundscapes and developing journals full of flotsam and jetsam in my spare time.  I mostly enjoy developing artwork for personal satisfaction and if an exhibition opportunity arises it adds to the fun of creating at this stage in my life.

Christopher Russell (aka) Xristo is an Australian Visual Artist, Graphic Designer and Musician who has been working as an art educator, studying and producing visual art for exhibition and on commission since 1980. Original work and prints are available for sale directly through this website and gallery.
Christopher is a multi-discipline artist, also experienced in wet media darkroom based photography and management. In the late 1980’s he began exploring and studying the use of digital media for output in print and for the screen. From the mid 80s till early 2017 Chris was a teacher of senior visual arts including subjects focussed on illustration, design, photography, multimedia, printmaking, 3D, drawing, painting and design and fine art theory. During the 2000s he was busy as an occasional art education consultant, writer and tutor focusing on Fine Art theory and practices.
Throughout the mid 1990s into the late 2000s he withdrew from regularly exhibiting artwork and concentrated more on freelance Graphic Design, Multimedia-Animation and Photography. Since, early 2017, he revisited a more studio oriented approach to fine art work when he resigned early from education due to health concerns and related injuries. Throughout his period as a practising artist, his work could be described as neo-expressionist with an emotive edge and strong connection to the subject. Sometimes the. artwork is melodramatic and humorous while other images my be emotionally raw with universal connection to and representation of cultural events and social change using symbolism and metaphors.

” I am not especially interested in a formula approach to artwork and may stray from one theme to the next if it suits an idea.

Short Biography:

1980 – Diploma Fine Art and Design at BH TAFE Institute.

1981 – 83 BA Fine Art at RMIT.

1987 – Grad Dip Ed at Melbourne University.

1991 – Grad Dip. Technology and Training at Melbourne University. Scholarship. 

Art Educator – Photography, Multimedia and Fine Art at BHSSC, CAE, and Deakin University. Key Learning Area Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts during 2000’s.

Working as a professional visual artist from 1984 till present.

Key Faculty Coordinator – Visual and Performing Arts BHSSC 2007 – 2010

Musician in various bands since the late 1970’s, Gothic Farmyard, Moonshots, The Delightfuls, PJ Blues Bands and current project for enjoyment is Xtrobitz featuring multi-instrumental work by aka – Xristo,  Chris Russell and friends. Provided some session music work; i.e. drum tracks for various musicians and video soundscapes.

Exhibitions: Displayed widely as a Visual Artist, Graphic Designer and Illustrator since 1980. Work has been featured in various publications and advertising throughout Australia and overseas.

Collections: Work held in Public and Private collections – Australia and Overseas.

Exhibitions, travelling, solo and group shows –

1980 Age Gallery, Melbourne. Selected works. Student Art Exhibition.

1981 – Work selected for travelling exhibition, Age Gallery, Melbourne,  World Congress INSEA, Group Exhibition Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

1982 – RMIT Gallery, Student work exhibition.

1983 – RMIT Gallery, Student work exhibition.

1984 – Magazine illustration, Music Poster illustration work, 3CR public radio design promo work etc, T’ Shirt design work for Mixed Urban Media Design.

1985 – Group Exhibition Roar II, Fitzroy, Melb. Australia, Selected drawing artworks – Contemporaries Gallery Los Angeles, USA, Selected Exhibition, Hyatt on Collins, Melbourne.

1986 –  Selected work, group drawing exhibition, Belgium. 1986-7.

1988 – Solo Exhibition, The Moore Gallery, City, Melbourne. Australia. CAE building. Illustration & Design for Melbourne Super 8 Film Festival promotional poster and other clients. Commission – Phillip Institute Union,(now part of RMIT) Illustration and Design – Into the PIT. Vic. Australia.

1989 –  9 x 5 Traveling Group Exhibition, Newcastle University, NSW. Australia.
Commission: Australian Nurses Federation Union Banner, Australia. Represented in a selected drawing exhibition, Boutique Gallery, Paris. France.

1990 – Commission – Illustration, Deakin University, Student Union. Represented in former Jannssen Gallery Space. Selected drawing work exhibition, NYC. USA.
• Represented in Roar II Gallery, Summer Salon Exhibition, Melbourne, Australia.
• Commission: Manningham City Council, Manningham Arts Festival Poster. Melbourne Australia.
• Book illustration work with Andy Griffiths, Freaking Out, Fish Bones, Mini Book – Xristo’s Wonderful World of Noses publications. Brainfight Press. Melbourne. Australia.

1990-91 – Commission: Manningham City Council, Manningham Arts Festival Poster. Melbourne.
• Commissions: photography work for ‘Beat Magazine’ street newspaper and Mother & Baby magazine.
• Promotional photography for Manningham City Council Gallery. • Moet Chandon Prize Exhibition entry.
• Radio 3RRR promo exhibition prize runner up. Exhibition at Dangerfield in Melbourne.

1993 –  Illustration & Design cards series, Fitzroy Gallery. Melbourne. • Freelance Illustration as Xristo Artworks.

1994 – Illustration and Design for Novo Nordisk promotional material, South East Asia, Malaysia. (for Media Mas) Illustration & Design promotional work for BHSSC Education Department, Melbourne, Vic Australia.

1995 – Illustration & Design work for Monash University Books. Illustration & Design work for the Education Department (Education Week), Melbourne, Vic Australia.

1996 – published, Step by Step Graphics, USA. article. Produced graphic design and illustration work on commission.

1997 – Produced graphic design and illustration work commissions.

1998 – Produced graphic design and illustration work on commission. Illustration & Design for Youth Booklet. The Catholic Church Office, Melbourne.
Selected exhibition ‘Beach Time’ Gold Coast, Queensland.

1999 – 2000 – Produced graphic design and illustration work commissions.

2001 – Beach play submission for selected drawing exhibition. JA-Gallery, L.A. USA.  Multimedia design – animation, BHSSC, Tennis Australia, website. Multimedia animation, BHSSC, Tennis Australia, website.

2002 –  Produced graphic design and illustration work commissions. e.g. Design for Rainbird Corporation, Australia.

2003 – Produced graphic design and illustration work commissions. e.g. various clients – Identity design.

2004 – Animation sequence – part of Vic. TAFE promotion advertisement aired on Channel 10.
TV broadcasting, Melbourne. Australia.

2005 – Produced graphic design and illustration work commissions. DVD audiovisual design.

2006 – Selected works, ‘Sunburn’ drawing group exhibition – Gold Coast Galleries. Qld. Australia.

2007 – Photographic work, portrait prize exhibition, Melbourne.

2009 – Selected work exhibition – Tee Artspace. NYC, USA.

2012 – Commission wall mural, Templestowe. Vic. Aust.

2013 – Selected work exhibited, Paris, France. Plein air – drawing prize exhibition entry.

2014 – Produced graphic design and illustration work commissions.

2015 – Studio, The Group Exhibition space, The Lost series – Adolescent wellbeing.

2017 – Worked on a drawing and painting series titled ‘ Pathway’.  2017 also worked on digital video and editing for a music/band video clip.

2018 – Continued work on series ‘Pathway series’ and ‘Delicate Things series’  Current plans  – proposed selected work and solo exhibition in late 2018 or
early 2019. – Pending – currently indisposed.
2018 – member – joined Art Aviso.
Commission artwork, painting – ‘ Regrowth at Pheasant Creek’
2018 – Small Group Exhibition, at Fortyfive Downstairs Gallery, Flinders Lane Melbourne.
Postcard Group Exhibition at Linden New Art, Gallery, St Kilda, Melbourne.

2019 – Selected work entry, January – ‘Naked’. ‘What’s nu(de) in contemporary art’ at JanKossen Contemporary Gallery. New York.
2019 – Artaviso 1.0 Event. Selected entry exhibition, April, at No-Vacancy Gallery, Melbourne.

2019 – 20 Postcard Group Exhibition at Linden New Art, Gallery, St Kilda, Melbourne.

2020 – Artaviso event. Door to Door online selected works exhibition also displayed at No Vacancy, Gallery, Melbourne.  https://www.artaviso.com/10939-2/?utm_source=sendinblue&utm_campaign=Art_Aviso_Door_to_Door&utm_medium=email

2021 – Artaviso event 7.0. The Garden of Loss and Triumph. A4 sized artwork on linen. Selected works exhibited in Melbourne and Amsterdam. Pending late 2021.

2022 –  Artaviso online exhibition Vacation Nation – https://www.artaviso.com/christopher-russell-2/
2022 –  Garden of Loss and Triumph, group show, curated by Artaviso, NDSM FUSE. Amsterdam, The Netherlands. 1-18 September.
2022 – Door to Door, group exhibition, curated by Artaviso, Lite-Haus Galerie + Projektraum – Berlin Group exhibition. Germany. 8-24 September.

2023 – Little Pieces Small Works Exhibition – Fly Little Bird Gallery, Coburg Nth, Vic. Aust.  17 Nov – 9 Dec.

2024 – Red Gallery. Melbourne. TBA. works on paper

Bibliography: Music and Visual Arts.

1980 – Manningham Leader News article. Student INSEA Exhibition in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

1984 – Sun Newspaper, Melbourne. Music review Gothic Farmyard.

1984 – Sun Newspaper Melbourne. Music interview Gothic Farmyard.

1984 – A-Z magazine interview, Mara Smarelli and 3PBS Radio interview.

1984 – Juke music newspaper – review Ian Mc Farlane.

1985 – The Age, Roar 2, Group show exhibition review.
The Sun Newspaper, Music column, Paul Stewart, Roar 2, Exhibition promotion.

1988 – Art Almanac promotion for 1988 exhibition, Moore Gallery. Melbourne.

1990 – West Australian – ‘Freaking Out’ Book review.
Beat Magazine, Review, 3RRR, radio interview.
Miranda McDonald, InPress, News, Melbourne (Apr 02, 1990)

1995 – Step by Step, Dynamic Graphics. USA. A brief article published ref: printmaking.

2000 – VCAA article published.

2018 – Selected artwork is shown on IEM online gallery.

2019 – No-Vacancy Gallery – Artaviso 1.0 Event April, catalogue.

2020 – Artaviso Event. Door to door exhibition catalogue.

2021 – Garden of Loss and Triumph. Artaviso Themed exhibition. Work shown online in digital exhibition and No Vacancy Gallery. Melbourne.
2021 – Vacation Nation.  Artaviso themed exhibition online Vacation Nation Art. https://www.artaviso.com/christopher-russell-2/

2023 – Bored Panda website article – Guitar Series 2018 – 2022 by Christopher Russell
https://www.boredpanda.com/i-am-a-visual-artist-who-created-a-series-of-quirky-guitars-paintings-12-pics/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
2023 – Art Magazino Monthly – Online Art Fanzine. December 2023 small art feature.
https://klewn-mccleiaff-priiks.yolasite.com/