written By Megin Potter  |  Photos & Artwork by Matthew Jay Russell

[From the 2025 Holiday Magazine]

An oil painting by contemporary seascape artist Matthew Jay Russell is a vessel of silence and stillness, inviting you to see and feel an absence of noise that is anything but empty. Pleasantly free of distractions, it draws you into its depths as you sink into a moment of peace in a place where maintaining presence takes precedence.

Through a careful rendering of light and shadow, Matthew Jay Russell’s simple and harmoniously constructed compositions guide the viewer into a contemplative state.

“They’re not all about the boats. What I love, and am drawn to, is the water,” said Russell.

Russell witnessed the breathtaking beauty of nature that has inspired his works today while on childhood fishing trips and hikes through the amazingly serene Adirondack Mountains, located just 25 minutes from his home. On his travels down the eastern seaboard, the gorgeous views from the Maine coastline’s remote vistas caught his eye and deeply impacted his work.

Of Sea, Sand, and Sky

Painting from memory, as well as digitally altered photographs and sketches, Russell layers a balanced palette of muted colors to create canvases that capture the striking expansive of an ethereal landscape.

By limiting extraneous details (like rope, anchors, and other sailing gear) these paintings send the viewer adrift into a sea of tranquility.

Focus on the boats and a sense of calm washes over you. Noise slips away as the eye settles on these simple geometric shapes and their shadows, separated by only the thinnest of lines. In the depths of contemplation and introspection, they become like floating shells of human consciousness suspended in space and time.

Transcendent Absorption

The awe-inspiring serenity depicted in Russell’s paintings is transcendent. It resonates with each and every observer in a uniquely personal way. As they meditate on the quietude the viewer is encouraged to become absorbed, and is transported into a peaceful world of their own making.

Dawning, 60x36

Promised Rain, 40x40

Moonlight Gathering, 24x48

Dockside, 48x24

“They are resting and waiting and just being present in the emptiness,” said Russell.

Matthew Jay Russell originals of the New England coastline are featured at Saratoga’s Spa Fine Art Gallery and the Sheldon Fine Art Galleries in Newport, Rhode Island, and Naples, Florida.

Under the Moon, 48x36

Mystic Morning, 48x30

Three Dories, 30x48

Limited edition fine art giclee prints are printed within two weeks and can be picked up at the galleries, shipped nationally and internationally.

For your own special slice of solitude, custom original oil paintings tailored to your preferred size and color scheme are also available within four months of ordering.

For more information, follow
@matthewjayrussell on Instagram,
@matthewjayrussellstudio on Facebook,
and visit matthewjayrussell.com