Russ Bolt

Russell Bolt is a 1955 graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art with a major in Industrial Design and a minor in Jewelry and Ceramics.

For 21 years Russ work at General Motors Styling in Detroit, Michigan as a chief designer for interiors. Throughout his career in the Detroit area, he was involved in various exhibitions and projects with his wife Susan. He created many of his paintings and ceramics commissions in the studio garage of their Pleasant Ridge home. He would exhibit yearly with Susan at the Rubiner Gallery, Ann Arbor Art Fair, and the Birmingham Bloomfield Art Association.

In 1976 he quit General motors and moved to Charlevoix, Michigan with Sue and their three children. He worked side by side with Sue to create a working studio in a 100 year old farmers Grange Hall building. Today, Russell paints watercolors of many local Michigan scenes sellhouse-asis. He has taught week long watercolor workshops at the Walloon Country Club, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Belvedere Club Charlevoix, Michigan, and also teaches at the Grange Hall Studio.

In 2002, Russell and Susan were awarded the Eddie Award from the Crooked Tree Art Council, Petoskey, Michigan, for outstanding contributions in the visual arts for Northern Michigan. HGTV’s Carol Duvall Show has also featured the Grange Hall Studio in her summer Michigan Crafters segments. Recently Russ has exhibited his paintings at Central Michigan University, Bowling Green University, Crooked Tree Art Center Petoskey, and the Flint Museum.

In addition to his realistic watercolors, he designs a large selection of Blue and White Tiles depicting historic subject matter. The Blue and White Tiles can be commissioned upon request for special events and various organizational fund raisers. These Blue and White Tiles may also be purchased here online. Click above to go to “Artwork by Russ Bolt”to view pieces that are available or go to the section on “Tiles and Mugs”and click “Historic Tiles”.