Russel Craig

Russel Craig is more than an artist. He is a survivor, a storyteller, and a visionary who transformed nearly a decade of incarceration into art that speaks for those silenced by the system.

Raised in the foster care system, Russel found his voice through art long before he found freedom. After a non-violent drug conviction led to years behind bars, he turned confinement into purpose. Self-taught and relentless, he began painting the realities that defined his life—mass incarceration, racial injustice, and the criminalization of Black communities in America.

His work carries layers of meaning. Orange evokes the harshness of prison life. Teal recalls the color of his cell door. Leather, sewn into his murals, represents the Black body under oppression. Every piece transforms trauma into testimony, using art as both survival and resistance.

Russel’s art has reached far beyond prison walls. His socially driven work has been exhibited at Rutgers University, the Columbia University Center for Social Justice, and the Armory Art Show, among others. His pieces have been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, and The Washington Post, earning recognition for his fearless blend of beauty and activism.

Through fellowships with Right of Return and the Ford Foundation’s Art for Justice, Russel continues to mentor emerging artists and advocate for justice through creativity. At I_am_HUMAN, we proudly support his vision, where every brushstroke challenges inequality and redefines freedom.

Russel Craig paints so we remember. His art is his protest, his freedom, and his invitation to see the humanity in us all.