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Valentine "Val" Russell is a yam farmer in his late forties who is from a remote rural area of western Jamaica. As a child he enjoyed creating art constantly and doodled in school often. People called him a dunce because he was always drawing instead of doing his schoolwork. He has a very unique island style with subdued colors and beautiful landscapes. Russell prefers to paint outside of his home. Occasionally when he finds himself artistically inspired, he stays at his hillside retreat; a tin covered bunker with no electricity or running water.He captures the beauty of the island, but also provides a realistic depiction of the poverty and conditions of his small village. His paintings are sometimes created out of his imagination, and others are of the people and area that surrounds him and are based on the stories and memories from his life. He is a true Rasta man who is at peace with his world.
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