 Russell Raethka, whose Cedar Keyhole Gallery
building painting you see on the top of this website, spent 33 years in
education, 19 of those years as a high school principal in upstate New York.
His father was a high school art teacher and was the inspiration Russell
needed to get his art career started late in his education career. For the
most part, art took a back seat to being a principal.
After retirement Russell joined an Art Guild in
Oneonta, New York where he presented watercolor
 paintings of many of the
notable buildings in the city. He found some success in selling his
paintings and soon accepted a number of commissions to paint historic
buildings, churches, and large homes.
Upon moving to Florida, Russell joined the
Cedar Keyhole Art Cooperative. At this time he became serious about his career
as an artist and honed his skills working mostly with watercolors. He enjoys
the way watercolors bring to life the many seascape scenes that Cedar Key
offers. He is still commissioned to paint various buildings and water
scenes.
Russell is also an avid fisherman, so it was
only natural that he enjoys painting fish. He paints watercolors of fish he
has caught, cuts them out and mounts them on burlap and frames them. When the
fish aren't biting, Russell can always paint one. Click on images below to enlarge.
You can view Russ's work at the Keyhole or
e-mail for more information.
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