Russ Evans

Russ Evans is a lifelong visual storyteller whose art invites viewers to pause, wonder, and reflect. Originally from Piqua, Ohio, Russ grew up near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, surrounded by the hum of aerospace innovation and the quiet pull of imagination. With a background in fine art (B.A., 2D concentration) and early dreams of becoming an illustrator, Russ brings a narrative depth to every brushstroke.

Working primarily in acrylic and watercolor—mediums that suit his quick, intuitive process—Russ creates paintings that are never “just pretty pictures.” Influenced by his love of science fiction, spirituality, literature, and history, his work often explores themes like faith versus reason, space travel, and the deeply human desire to understand the unknown. Each piece is a story waiting to be read—a moment frozen in time with just enough mystery to stir the soul.

Russ’s creative process begins with sketches and personal reference photos, but often evolves in unexpected ways. For him, painting is a struggle worth embracing; if it comes too easily, it probably isn’t honest. He works from his home studio, focusing on one piece at a time while his imagination races ahead to the next.

His work has been exhibited in solo shows in Humboldt and Jackson, Tennessee, and one of his earliest pieces was honored in the prestigious Ohio Governor’s Youth Art Exhibition. He also accepts commissions and enjoys the idea that his paintings find quiet lives of their own in homes near and far.

Outside of painting, Russ is also a novelist and actor with local theatre groups—expressing his love of story through words and performance.

“Each painting is my little contribution to our existence in this weird, wonderful world we’ve been born into.”