Accession 90-38 - Russell Yuristy

Russell Yuristy was born in Goodeve, Saskatchewan in 1936. In 1959 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon and a Master of Science in Art from the University of Wisconsin in 1967 with a major in painting and a minor in graphics.

He taught drawing and painting at the University of Saskatchewan, Regina Campus from 1967 to 1971 and was an administrator of the Emma Lake Artists’ Workshops from 1968 to 1970. From 1971 to 1981 Yuristy was known for his large animal playground sculptures which he built in Ottawa, Spokane (Washington), Churchill (Manitoba), Vancouver (for Expo ’86) Swift Current, Saskatoon and Regina. He was also painting, drawing, making prints and ceramic work during this time as well.

In 1984 Yuristy created Saskatchewan Rain for the CBC Building in Regina, in 1992 Fish was created for the new City Hall in Ottawa and in 1994 Switch Hitter was created for the Ottawa baseball stadium (now Jetform Park). Since then Yuristy has concentrated on painting, large woodcuts, drawings and print mediums. He has shown in many public and commercial galleries. In 1986 he moved to Ottawa and taught classes at the University of Ottawa and the Ottawa School of Art. He moved to Montreal in 1993 and back to Ottawa in 1998.