Matthew Jay Russell is a contemporary coastal painter whose work is defined by stillness, clarity, and a strong sense of space. Raised in the rural farm town of Argyle, New York, he grew up around open fields, quiet back roads, and old barns — settings that shaped his eye for simplicity and uncluttered form. As a kid, he spent hours drawing architecture and interiors, a habit that continues to inform the measured, structured way he composes his paintings today.

Russell works primarily across New England and the Adirondacks, regions he has explored since childhood through family trips, hiking, photography, and time outdoors. He approaches both photography and painting with the same emphasis on framing and space, drawing on the places he spends time in New England and the Adirondacks.

Russell paints quiet, open spaces with a restrained palette and a minimal, refined approach. He reduces each composition to its essential elements, letting controlled color and soft transitions create a sense of ease and balance.

His paintings are held in private collections across the United States and abroad, and his work has been featured in editorial publications including Cape Cod Magazine. He is represented by several galleries along the East Coast, where his pieces have become fixtures in thoughtfully designed homes and interiors.