| Russell Buskirk 413 Fleming Road #12 Charleston, South Carolina 29412 843-406-9861 843-364-3580 russellbuskirk@msn.com |
| Web Design by Russell Buskirk |
| Russell Buskirk |
| First Place Award 2013 Signature Exhibition photo by Kat Sullivan Eckel |
| Early Childhood Born in Huntington, West Virginia in 1954, Russell grew-up on a farm just outside White Sulphur Springs, WV. With a family linage of woodworkers, he was always tinkering or building something. At the age of ten, Russell disassembled the family Index mantle clock to “see how it worked.” To his and others surprise, the clock worked when he put it back together. Swimming lessons and visits to The Greenbrier Hotel exposed Russell to Classical Roman and Greek architecture at an early and formative age. Classes in art and drafting were in preparation for a career in graphic art that did not come to pass. Construction and Photography After building and restoring houses, barns and commercial buildings in Virginia, Kentucky, and West Virginia for twelve years; he attended Woodland Photography School. A position at Alterman Studios brought Russell to Charleston in 1984. When he left two years later, three people were needed to replace him. Russell has won numerous awards for his fine art photography and also offers classes and lectures on photography. Antique Furniture Restoration In 1986 Russell answered a classified ad; “Wanted some one to work on antique furniture, inquire within…” Needless to say, he got the job. With his natural talent and opportunity to hone his restoration skills, Russell quickly became the master woodworker and master restorer, and shop manager for Beckfords of Charleston. He worked on pieces that were later placed in major collections such as MESDA, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, The Charleston Museum, The John Rivers Collection, The Philadelphia Museum of Art and other collections. His attention to detail established the quality and historically accurate standards for restorations in Charleston. Buskirk Restorations Inc. Russell started his own shop in 1994 and has worked for dealers and individuals. Establishing a specialty in inlay restoration, he restored important pieces from Charleston, Baltimore, and other cities that are now in the before mentioned collections as well as the George Kaufman Collection. He was commissioned to reproduce five pieces of furniture for the newly restored Charleston County Courthouse and received the Samuel Gaillard Stoney award from Historic Charleston Foundation. Russell received another Samuel Gaillard Stoney award for his work on the Winter Antique Show 2011 Loan Exhibition Booth "Grandeur Preserved- Masterworks Presented by Historic Charleston Foundation" Continuing Education With a desire for advanced skills and further education; Russell attended the class on Microscopic Wood Identification at U. Mass. and all three years of the MESDA Summer Institute. He has taught at the MESDA Fall and Summer Institutes, and has lectured at The Charleston Antique Symposium and The Winter Antique Show. An article about inlay making was published in The Catalog of Antiques and Fine Art in 2003. Organizations Russell has been on the American Furniture Vetting Committee of The Winter Antique Show since 2004. He served on the MESDA Advisory Board from 2005 until 2011, and is also a member of AIC, Charleston Library Society, Decorative Arts Trust, Friends of Drayton Hall, Friends of MESDA, and the South Carolina Historical Society. Russell joined the Charleston Artist Guild in 2006 and is an Exhibiting Member in Art an Photography. He has served as Director of Exhibitions since 2008 Art Career Russell was always drawing or sketching throughout his life. He was inspired by the paintings of Sally Gant during the 2004 Summer Institute at MESDA. He decided to return to fine art painting; working mostly in pastels. Russell has taken workshops from William McCullough, James Sulkowsli, Ben Nita McAdams, Judy Carduchi, Don and Sue Nagle, Dee Beard Dean, and Doug Dawson. Russell's artwork has been accepted into many exhibitions and has won numerous awards for his stunning pastels and fine art photography. His artwork is currently exhibited at the Charleston Artist Guild Gallery at 160 E. Bay Street in Charleston, South Carolina. |
| View from Hickory Knob , on the family's property, east of White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia |
 | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  | |  |
| Photographic Services A wide range of photography services are offered by Russell Buskirk. Please contact us to discuss your photographic needs. |
