Biography

Russel was raised on the North Shore, Three Village area of Long Island, New York and is an alumnus of SUNY Cortland and the School of Ceramics at Alfred University. He currently resides in Central New York, in the historic Village of Homer. Russel worked on a commercial fishing boat during his adolescent years out of Port Jefferson Harbor on Long Island Sound. Transitioning to the Central New York area to attend college, Russel set up his first studios in Cincinnatus and Solon, New York. Now living in Homer, New York, Mr. Spillmann’s career has spanned forty years, during which his work has achieved national recognition, receiving awards at prestigious exhibitions and has been represented in many fine craft and art galleries. He has been featured in numerous one-man and group shows and his work is included in many private, corporate and public collections. Russel’s work is also included in the Sydney Swidler Collection, recently donated to the Crocker Art Museum of Sacramento, California. Russel has thrown over 30,000 clay works of art in his lifetime, and has earned the respect of fans, patrons and collectors throughout that time.