about the artist

Every Rusty Sherrill painting starts with a thumbnail idea sketch. Working small helps him get the composition and feeling of the piece right. Then he enlarges the best sketch, adds detail, and transfers it to canvas. The artist prefers working in acrylics, but using the Old Masters’ oil painting method of doing a monochromatic underpainting before adding washes of color. Rusty’s aspiration is to make people think in a way they might not have before by reaching out and grabbing them with powerful images. The onlooker enters his imagination, which is filled with symbolism, some obvious, some very subtle. Pulled into his world, viewers are then free to find their own way, explore and discover new things and wallow around in this place for a while. He strives to give the viewer a fascinating journey so each time he or she can delve into a painting and find something new and unexpected. Sherrill has exhibited throughout Southern California for the last two decades and is currently at work on a series of whimsical Las Vegas-themed paintings. The artist lives in Big Bear City, CA, with his wife Cathy and their two cats. See more at dropr.com/portfolio105028.