WELCOMING IN 2024...

In a war-torn world, we all grow weary and become fatigued by the incessant heartbreak over innocent lives lost. I am one of the lucky ones who still lives in a free nano-world, far from all this mass violence and destruction. So what can I do? What little contribution can I make since I don’t have my boots on their grounds? Simply enough, I can donate money to important charities, while hopefully bringing more awareness to all sorts of tragedies out there, not just the ones we keep hearing about.

I know that not everyone is in a position to donate, but for my profession, I look at it like this: A gallery’s commission is 50% and an art advisor is typically 20%. I have actively chosen not to sign with a gallery these past several years because I got burned real bad last time (although interested art advisors, please reach out!), and selling from my studio has not only given me confidence, but has allowed for me to make a better living. Since I’m not having to part with my income as much as before, I’d rather give a portion of profits to a charitable organization who does have boots on the ground and systems in place to help people in desperate need get the most help as possible. So, just as I have done every year since the Pandemic in 2020, I will be doing the same in 2024.

Every month in 2024, 20% of profits from sales of paintings over $1000 will be donated to a different NGO, with January being Children in Conflict. * Please click on the link to read about the good work they do and the many countries they help.

It’s a win-win-win all the way around: You live with art you love, I continue to make a living doing what I was meant to do, and in this month, children in war-torn nations get help with life’s basic needs & necessities.

As always, proof of the donation is provided. If you yourself want to do the donating under your name, then donate 20% of the cost to this charity above, show me evidence that you have donated, and I will deduct 20% of the final cost* of your purchase, and then you have that amount to submit for your 2024 taxes. Same rules above & below apply.

I’ve written enough here. Let’s do our best to contribute to better our world and let Love shine whenever and wherever it can.

Peace + Love,

Randi

*please note: commissions, shipping costs, taxes are excluded.

Art Show for Angelenos during Quarantine!

I am so proud to be invited to exhibit one of my paintings via a series of video projection installations by TZ Projects. It’s called, Going Home: a picture show, running from MAY 15-20th, 8pm-12AM (note start new time!).

The exhibition marks the official launch of TZ Projects. The show “consists of projected video window installations to provide a destination activity for Angelenos during quarantine.” (TZProjects.org)

My painting “Industrial Pastures of the Present” will be projected on a large screen up in the windows of TZ Projects’ space right on the corner of Beverly Blvd & Crescent Heights Blvd. 8070 Beverly Blvd to be exact… right in the center of Los Angeles!

Five nights of coolness and beauty! Read more about the show’s mission here, as well as see the list of many amazing artists who are part of it! Plus, there are ways to benefit charities associated with TZ Projects (please see their website).

So wonderful to hear that art is alive and well in LA! (of course it would be!!)

Oh, and in line with LA’s adherence to the rules during the pandemic, here is how you experience the show: You can view the show from your car or walk up to the window display while adhering to social distancing guidelines. It’s as easy as that!

For those of you not in Los Angeles, I will take video (of the videos!) and post to my social media pages. Do you follow me on Instagram and Facebook? Not yet? Why not?! I provided you links to make it easy…

AND, I have a music show coming up! But one blog post at a time ;)

View fullsize

Industrial Pastures of the Present-mixed media on canvas-58x78”

Get & Give 2020 - Extended until the end of the year! Also, new charities on the list to reflect these urgent times

I started a campaign called March Gladness 2020 on March 1st (you can read that entry to get the details). For obvious reasons, the name of the campaign was changed to “Get & Give 2020” to reflect the current atmosphere of the times (there’s another blog post and press release on that; just look to the right to click on and read). I also extended it until April 15th (originally, this was just supposed to be a March campaign).

I am proud to announce that I am still doing Get & Give 2020, but I will be doing it throughout 2020. Yes, that’s right — for every online purchase of art from now until December 31, 2020, I will be donating 20% of your purchase price (gross, not profit… so more money goes to the organization!) to a charity of your choice from a list of 20 charities chosen by me.

In light of how dark these times are, I revamped the list of 20 charities. While all of the charities I’ve listed under March Gladness are still very worthy and in need, we are at war here. We do need to address this emergency situation. Some of the charities are the same as the previous list (CDC Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, IRC), but I added a whole host of new ones that are helping hospital staff, restaurants (who are helping hospital staff!), artists, low-income unemployed families, direct relief all over the world, and the elderly. I also have kept some mental health organizations, as the suicide call rate is up.

As stated before, I have works large and small. Most of the works featured here on the website are medium and large-scale. I know that not everyone can afford that now (and if you can, please consider buying if you’re looking to beautify your space and wanting to help people in need at the same time). I do have works on paper on sale for as low as $65. I have some works on panel for $150. They go all the way up to $10K (those are for works the size of a queen-size bed!). Anyway, there is something for almost everyone.

If you truly love something and are unemployed or a hospital staff member, we can work out a payment plan and I’d give you an additional 10% off. Honor system here. :)

And here’s the updated list of charities to choose from (in no particular order of importance):

1. CDC Foundation Corona Virus Response Fund

2. Global Empowerment Mission

3. International Rescue Committee

4. Habitat for Humanity

5. Doctors without Borders

6. United Way Worldwide 

7. cerf+ The Artist Safety Net 

8. NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness

9. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention 

10. Feeding America

11. Direct Relief

12. Meals on Wheels

13. Frontline Foods  - 100% of your money goes directly to restaurants serving hospital workers.

14. Elmhurst Hospital 

15. Cedars Sinai Hospital 

16. Mount Sinai

17. UCLA Health

18. New York Presbyterian

19. Modest Needs

20. MusiCares

I’d like to thank the people who already have taken a part of this and donated to three very worthy organizations… but let’s do more!!! I promise to post more videos of smaller works… that seems to be more helpful than pictures with the lighting and I can get many in at once. I’ll keep you posted on that!

*Also, there is the fine print: Buyer pays for shipping and handling (including crating for larger pieces) for any purchase. Paypal, Zelle, Venmo accepted. If paying by credit card, a 3% fee will be added to your purchase. All sales final. All rights reserved by the artist. No reproduction of the work can be made without artist’s permission.

MARCH GLADNESS 2020

**update 3/14/20: in light of these times, the name has been changed to Get & Give 2020: see new post on 3/13/20**

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TWENTY percent (20%) of any painting purchased through me, Randi Russo, in March will be donated to a charity of your choice from this list of 20 charities (you can break up the donation any way).

The list (in no particular order of importance):

Organizations:

1. CDC Foundation Corona Virus Response Fund

2. Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Research

3. International Rescue Committee

4. Habitat for Humanity

5. Doctors without Borders

6. WWF.org – Adopt a Koala

7. P.S. Arts – bringing art to children in schools in underserved communities

8. NAMI – National Alliance on Mental Illness

9. American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

10. St. Jude’s Hospital

11. Heart to Heart International Tornado Response

12. Ocean Conservancy

13. Sandy Hook Promise

14. Humane Animal Rescue

15. The Orangutan Project

16. Planned Parenthood

17. The Innocence Project

18.National Coalition Against Domestic Violence

19. Malala Fund

20. Free the Slaves 

Just a small selection of available paintings is below… Want to see more? Make an appointment or contact me and I will send you more information…

the fine print: as is customary, the buyer pays for shipping and handling (crating) for any purchase. Paypal, Zelle, Venmo accepted. If paying by credit card, a 3% fee will be added to your purchase. All sales final. All rights reserved by the artist. No reproduction of the work can be made without artist’s permission.

That Layered Look 2 - curated by Peter Frank

It has been a very exciting time and change is very much in the air! Good changes! (knock wood!) — thank you 2020! I cannot disclose some of the new developments just yet, but good things are a-brewing!!!

I have had three works of mine chosen for a FANTASTIC group show! I was honored to begin with just to have my paintings featured amongst works by such greatly talented artists. But then when I saw the actual show (the opening was a fantastic success, btw, with over 400 person turnout!), I was floored to see my work in such excellent company of other thought-provoking and/or feeling-provoking works of art.

Thanks to Peter Frank (the curator) and Caroline Tufenkian (the gallerist) for putting together an exquisite show! Peter chose the works and Caroline did the placement. How lucky for one of my pieces to be the very first work to start off the show, right next to Alexandra Grant’s work, followed by the work of Robert Standish. Not to mention, a couple got engaged right in front of my painting! If that’s not good juju, then I don’t know what is! Below are pics of the paintings in the show. But before we get to that, let’s talk about who else is in the show…

This fabulous group show is filled with works by the following accomplished artists:
ALEXANDER | CHARLES ARNOLDI | FATEMEH BURNES | SIGRID BURTON | RHEA CARMI | ANDR´EE B. CARTER | GUY DILL | MOSHE ELIMELECH | MEGAN FRANCES | ANDREW FRANK | KAYE FREEMAN | GAGO | TANNER GOLDBECK | ALEXANDRA GRANT | DIANE HOLLAND | RAFFI KALENDERIAN | MELA M. | LAURIE RASKIN | ALAIN ROGIER | DAVID S. RUBIN | RANDI RUSSO | RAFAEL SERRANO | DANNY SHAIN |SUSAN SIRONI | SUSAN SOMMER | ROBERT STANDISH | LAURIE YEHIA | TORIE ZALBEN

The show goes until Wed, Feb 26th… BUT, there will be a curator-led walkthrough and closing reception on February 23rd, 3-6pm.

I think this Sunday afternoon will be better than the opening (which was on Jan 18th and I cannot stress enough how amazing the night was with lots of magic in the air). How can one not be excited to hear a curator’s words on his passion and work?! — I guess I can geek out on this kind of stuff regardless of whether I’m in the show or not. Haha!

I do hope I see you there! Info below:

TUFENKIAN FINE ARTS
MODERN + CONTEMPORARY ART
216 S. LOUISE ST.
GLENDALE, CA 91205
818.288.4635

FEATURED ON INTERNATIONAL 1340 ART BLOG

Well, I suppose all blogs are international but this one also puts out a magazine of artists all over the world. Hm, ok... some others do that as well... Regardless, here's the lovely feature (click to read full article):

click above to see full featured article.