An insight into the artistic life of one of cricket's great characters. Profusely illustrated with his paintings. Large 4to (landscape). 144pp. Very good condition. Signed and dedicated by Russell to title-page.
Jack Russell, England’s popular and eccentric wicket keeper, is also a very successful and accomplished artist. 'The Art of Jack Russell' features a selection of the best of Jack Russell’s oil paintings in a superbly produced book, accompanied by a lively, anecdotal text tracing Jack’s second career.
Jack’s painting career started one day in 1987 when rain stopped play and he began sketching to help pass time. He has never looked back since. His chosen painting subjects are varied and range from cricket scenes from around the world, evocative English landscapes and seascapes to superb pencil sketches of people, wildlife and many of the places he has visited on his travels.
Jack’s other keen interest is military history and he enjoys creating impressive and detailed paintings to commemorate famous military operations. Several of these paintings are also included in the book, together with a number of atmospheric paintings of Jack’s beloved Slad Valley in Gloucestershire, better known as “Laurie Lee Country”.
'The Art of Jack Russell' offers a fascinating insight into the artistic life of one of cricket’s best-loved characters and reveals the stories behind many of his successful paintings. Above all, however, it provides a wonderful record of this talented artist’s work that will appeal to collectors and art lovers alike.
JACK RUSSELL is best known for his role as the colourful and eccentric wicketkeeper and he has established for himself a unique place in the hearts of English cricket supporters; but he is also an accomplished artist whose paintings, sketches and limited edition prints are now much sought after and collected worldwide. His paintings are on display in places as diverse as the Imperial War Museum, theTower of London, and the Sir Don Bradman Museum in Australia.
In 1994 Jack opened his own gallery in Chipping Sodbury in Gloucestershire and this has been an enviable success, with many sell-out exhibitions of his work. He lives with his wife and family in a Gloucestershire village, and the surrounding countryside has provided the inspiration for many of his atmospheric landscapes. His autobiography, 'Jack Russell Unleashed', is also published by HarperCollins.
Claire Struthers, who collaborated with Jack Russell in writing this book, is a journalist on the London 'Evening Standard'. In 1983 she becomesthe first female cricket commentator on British radio, chiefly because it was World Cup Final day and no-one wanted to cover Surrey v. Northants. She has lived in South Africa and Australia but has finally settled in Wimbledon with two sons, Duncan and Rory, and a cat. When Claire goes to the great pressbox in the sky she will leave her heart at The Oval, but in the meantime her ambition is to be still in possession of all her faculties when England regain the Ashes and/or the Wisden Trophy.
