The urgent issue of climate change will be on view in the timely exhibition Ice Show. The exhibition features new work by Marin-based artist Bill Russell, whose paintings explore the effects of global warming on the polar icecap. Using the iceberg as a visual metaphor, Russell endeavors to educate viewers about how global warming has expedited the creation of icebergs, and seeks to communicate the urgency of climate change in a way that will both resonate with and educate visitors. 

The brutal changes occurring due to climate change are depicted through his narrative style. In The Deluge, the hot sun bears down through the depleted atmosphere as icebergs are set adrift from the melting icecap. The rising sea waters devour container ships, Noah's Ark, the Titanic and other cultural icons, in an apocalyptic vision that builds upon Russell's interest in human-influenced ecology.

Russell's work is informed by his research into climate science and a recent visit to Iceland, providing substantive subject matter for his work. Visit this educational exhibition to learn more about how this issue affects us all. The exhibition is free to the public. 

Public Programs:

FREE
Friday, April 22, 2022, 12:00 noon (PST) on Zoom. Register here today
In Conversation: Bill Russell and Ariella Cook-Shonkoff
This special Earth Day talk will highlight Russell's installation of new work which uses the iceberg as visual metaphor to address climate change. Join member artist Russell and art therapist Ariella Cook-Shonkoff, MFT, ATR as they discuss the role of art-making in the face of the climate crisis and the therapeutic benefits of art-based inner work in dealing with climate distress. 

Bill Russell is a multi-disciplinary artist. For more than 40  years, his creative life has included fine art, illustration, visual journalism, teaching and web design. He has exhibited his work at Stanford University, SFMoMA Artists Gallery, MarinMOCA, California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco, Sofie Contemporary in Calistoga, and Reactor Gallery in Toronto, Canada, among others. His paintings can be found in private collections throughout the Bay Area and in Canada. Born and raised in Canada, he earned his degree from Parsons School of Design in New York. For eight years he was an adjunct professor of Illustration at CCA. He was an Artist-in-Residence at Recology San Francisco in 2010 and at the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, CA in 2017. 

Images:
All works courtesy of the artist.

Jagged Peaks, 6 x6 in., 2021, acrylic on panel
Polar Bear Lost, 6 x6 in., 2021, acrylic on panel
Spires, 36 x 36 in., 2021, acrylic on canvas
The Deluge, 37 x 37in., 2020, acrylic on canvas
Swimming in the Bummock, 40 x 40 in., 2021, acrylic on canvas