Russell Patterson Illustration, “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire”, Digital image, Library of Congress

Even before going to France to study art, Patterson wanted to be an illustrator. He said, “I studied the cover for a long time and decided then and there, I wanted to be a cover artist. That night when I got home, I took my father aside and proudly said, ‘I want to be an artist.’” This would take him on a journey from Montreal, where he worked as a cartoonist for several different newspapers, to Chicago, through the Midwest, and finally to Manhattan where he truly made his fame. He sought to capture the reckless energy of the city and combine it with the innocence of his illustrations, creating vibrant cityscapes and club scenes, where women danced as men stared on.

Back to the main page on Russell Patterson, Street Les Andeleys