UMass Amherst Libraries
Special Collections and University Archives

Jerry Russo Oral History Collection of Artists During COVID-19

2020-2022
248 digital files
Call no.: MS 1185
rotating decorative images from SCUA collections

Jerry Russo is a documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Boston, Massachusetts. Educated at Tufts University and The School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Russo’s photographs have been exhibited at a variety of galleries in the Boston area and New York City. In 2023, he completed artist residencies in Cape Ann and Provincetown, Massachusetts. When Russo describes his intention as a photographer, he identifies his primary goal as being “as sincere and empathetic as possible … [to be] a kind observer of the world around me. I’ve always lived my life intensely soaking up the environment with a non-judgmental (but truthful) eye and using my images as a reflection of that.”



In March of 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russo began working on an oral history project to interview visual artists and creatives all over the world. During the next two years, he completed 249 interviews via Zoom. In the interviews he captures the artists’ thoughts on wide range of topics and themes including living and working during the pandemic with its enforced solitude and lockdown; the ways in which the pandemic has had an impact on their creative process, shifts in narratives, and use of materials; and whether the work they created referenced the pandemic, the Black Lives movement, or politics in the U.S.

Background

Jerry Russo is a documentary filmmaker and photographer based in Boston, Massachusetts. Educated at Tufts University and The School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Russo’s photographs have been exhibited at a variety of galleries in the Boston area and New York City. In 2023, he completed artist residencies in Cape Ann and Provincetown, Massachusetts. When Russo describes his intention as a photographer, he identifies his primary goal as being “as sincere and empathetic as possible … [to be] a kind observer of the world around me. I’ve always lived my life intensely soaking up the environment with a non-judgmental (but truthful) eye and using my images as a reflection of that.”

Scope of collection

In March of 2020 at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Russo began working on an oral history project to interview visual artists and creatives all over the world. During the next two years, he completed 249 interviews via Zoom. In the interviews he captures the artists’ thoughts on wide range of topics and themes including living and working during the pandemic with its enforced solitude and lockdown; the ways in which the pandemic has had an impact on their creative process, shifts in narratives, and use of materials; and whether the work they created referenced the pandemic, the Black Lives movement, or politics in the U.S.

Inventory

Johnstone, Anne
2020 June 07

Lexington, Massachusetts; painter.

Ackerman, Ruthie
2021 Aug 18

Writer

Adams. Erica
2020 June 26

Mashpee, Massachusetts; painter

Alexander, Meg
2020 Oct 22

Concord, Massachusetts; painter

Almog, Lili
2020 Dec 23

Manhattan, New York; photographer

Alterwitz, Linda
2021 May 12

Las Vegas, Nevada; photographer

Anderson, John Christian
2020 Sept 18

Roslindale, Massachusetts; sculptor

Anderson, Ri
2020 Aug 11

San Miguel Allende, Mexico; photographer

Arbus, Amy
2021 Feb 15

Manhattan, New York; photographer

Arlook, Debe
2022 Mar 30

Los Angeles, California; photographer

Ayott, Diane
2022 Apr 13

Salem, Massachusetts; painter

Bamber, Judy
2021 June 17

Crestline, California; painter

Bard, Max
2020 Sept 8

Rowley, Massachusetts; sculptor

Bebar
2020 Dec 06

Paris, France; performance artist, graffiti

Beck, Jerry
2020 Oct 30

Belmont, Massachusetts; gallery owner

Belanger, Marion
2022 May 4

Guilford, Connecticut; photographer

Benway, Ron
2021 July 13

York, Pennsylvania; video/musician

Ber, Jenny Edwards
2022 Jan 29

Brookline, Massachusetts; senior critic, photography (RISD)

Bergstein, Gerry
2020 Aug 5

Vermont; painter

Bianchi, Lynn
2021 Oct 1

Park Slope, Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Black, Joanna
2020 Nov 13

Edinburg, Scotland; photographer

Blacklow, Laura
2020 Aug 21

Cambridge, Massachusetts; photographer

Blatman, Resa
2020 Oct 29

Somerville, Massachusetts; painter, installation

Blazon, Courtney
2020 Oct 26

Missoula, Montana; painter

Blinder, Meryl
2021 Aug 12

Brookline, Massachusetts; painter

Blotnick, Judy
2020 Sept 2

Jupiter, Florida; painter

Bogart, Tara
2021 Feb 21

Paris, France; photographer

Bourque, Michael
2020 July 28

Milton, Massachusetts; painter

Bourque, Nathan
2020 Aug 11

Milton, Massachusetts; painter

Brody, Lora
2021 Dec 30

Waltham, Massachusetts; painter

Brown, David
2021 Jan 29

South End Boston, Massachusetts; painter

Brown, Leslie Hall
2020 Oct 24

Springfield, Missouri; photographer

Bruins, Cree
2020 Aug 13

Winthrop, Massachusetts; photographer

Brunelli, Giacomo
2022.May 31

London, England; photographer

Butt, Ambreen
2020 Sept 17

Dallas, Texas; painter, sculptor

Cabral, Steven
2020 July 29

Somerville, Massachusetts; painter

Cain, Amy
2021 July 20

Cambridge, Massachusetts; painter

Carlin, Judith
2020 Dec 3

Miami, Florida; painter

Carr, Susan
2020 Oct 20

Cape Cod, Massachusetts, painter, sculptor

Chasm, Laura
2020 Sept 18

Roslindale, Massachusetts; painter

Cipriano, Jaina
2022 Mar 18

Bedford, Massachusetts; photographer, film, installation

Cirioni, Brenda
2022 May 24-June 1

Maynard, Massachusetts; painter

Cleveland, Erika
2020 Sept 15

Washington, D.C., dollmaker

Coe, Charles
2021 Jan 11

Cambridge, Massachusetts; poet

Colen, B.D.
2022 Mar 18

London, Ontario; photographer

Colosi, Armaren
2022 Jan 31

Portland, Oregon; photographer

Conan, Cyrille
2022 Jan 11

Roxbury, Massachusetts, painter, muralist

Cordero, Mauricio
2020 Sept 04

Medford, Massachusetts, cartoonist

Corney, Ruth
2020 Nov 1

England; photographer

Costello, Michael
2022 Oct 5

Boston, Massachusetts; painter

Costello, Michael
2022 Oct 5

Boston, Massachuetts; painter

Crane, Matt
2021 Feb 25

New York, New York, painter

Daborn, Erica
2020 Sept 29

San Miguel Allende, Mexico; painter

Davies, Sally
2021 Apr 16

New York, New York; photographer

Daynard, Carol
2020 Aug 31

Lenox, Massachusetts; painter

DiRado, Stephen
2020 Oct 30

Worcester, Massachusetts; photographer

DiRado, Stephen
2020 Dec 16

Worcester, Massachusetts, photographer

Doben, Brian
2021 Sept 17

Reading, Massachusetts; photographer

Dodson, Donna
2020 July 6

Maynard, Massachusetts, sculptor

Doughty, Rebecca
2020 July 16

Cambridge, Massachusetts; painter

Douglas, Cedric
2020 Dec 30

Quincy, Massachusetts; muralist

Dow, Jim
2020 Sept 29

Belmont, Massachusetts; photographer

Dowling, Michael
2020 Dec 11

South Boston, Massachusetts; gallery owner

Dudik, Eliot
2022 Apr 7

Williamsburg, Virginia; photographer, teacher

Dueck, Daniel
2021 Dec 1

Winnipeg, Canada, painter

Durchslag, Danielle
2021 July 9

Brooklyn, New York; film, vidoe

Ellyn, Dana
2020 Oct 12

Washington, D.C.; painter

Famiglietti, Phyllis
2020 Sept 22

Brookline, Massachusetts; video editor

Feingold, Tina
2021 Dec 6

Brookline, Massachusetts, painter

Fenster, Diane
2022 May 21

San Francisco, California; photographer

Fish, Andrew
2020 June 23

Sommerville, Massachusetts; painter

Flynn, Bill
2020 June 24

Dorchester, Massachusetts; painter

Forman, Fran
2020 Nov 6

Dallas, Texas; photographer

Frazier, Justin
2022 Jan 4

Ventura County, California; photographer

Freiberg, Ariel Basson
2022 Sept 9

Somerville, Massachusetts; painter

Freitag, Laurie
2020 Nov 29

Los Angeles, California; photographer

Friedlander, Ellen
2021 Jan 5

Hong Kong; photographer

Fuenmayor, Gonzalo
2022 Apr 12

Miami, Florida; painting, drawing

Fuller, Betty Carol
2022 May 3

North Falmouth, Massachusetts; painting, drawing

Gale, Tony
2022 May 12

Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Gamboa, Jr., Harry
202 Dec 28

Los Angeles, California; photographer

Gavann, Jason
2022 Jan 16

Boston, Massachusetts; make up artist

Gerhard, Robert
2020 Oct 14

Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Getzler, Anita
2020 Oct 16

Santa Monica, California; painter

Gilroy, Jen
2021 Nov 30

Patchogue, New York; painter

Giuliano Stagg, Sylvia
2020 Aug 12

Boston, Massachusetts; photographer

Goldberg, Tod
2021 Apr 20

Palm Springs, California; writer

Goldstein, Audrey
2022 Jan 12

Newton, Massachusetts; sculptor, drawing

Goldstein, Deb
2021 Oct 6

Newton, Massachusetts; collage

Goren, Leslie
2021 Sept 22

Ventura County, California; painter

Groza, Daniela
2021 Apr 22

Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Gwynn, Cat
2021 Nov 1

Los Angeles, California; photographer

Habing, Tytia
2021 Nov 18

Effingham, Illinois; photographer

Haine, Eben
2021 Dec 11

Boston, Massachusetts; painter

Haiwagy, Basil
2020 June 19

Boston, Massachusetts; performance artists

Harpaz, Orit
2020 Sept 24

Sherman Oaks, California; photographer

Harper, Cedric
2020 Dec 18

Dorchester, Massachusetts; painter

Harris, Jonathan
2022 Jan 3

Detroit, Michigan; painter

Heath, Robert
2020 Nov 12

Brooklyn, New York; sound engineer, musician

Hines, Jessica
2021 Nov 20

Statesboro Georgia; photography, video

Hoffman, Suzanne
2021 Nov 10

Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts; painter

Holtje, Joanne
2021 Dec 29

Boston, Massachusetts; painter

Horesh, Yoav
2020 Aug 11

Boston, Massachusetts; photographer

Houston, Kate
2020 Sept 25

Bozeman, Montana; photographer

Hudson, Jane
2020 July 22

Williamston, Massachusetts; painter

Hull, Kata
2020 Aug

Somerville, Massachusetts

Hunt, Wilson
2021 Sept 16

Roslindale, Massachusetts; painter

Isaccs, Gwyn
2021 Nov 2

Brooklyn, New York; painter, sculptor

Jacob, Ellen
2022 Apr 6

Upper Westside Manhattan, New York; photographer

Jagoda, Jeryl
2022 Mar 28

Studio City, Los Angeles; actor, producer

Janowitz, Joel
2020 July 31

Cambridge, Massachusetts; painter

Jenn, Jason
2021 Jan 1

Los Angeles, California; painter

Jones, Lou
2020 Aug 27

East Boston, Massachusetts; photographer

Jost, Katherine
2021 Oct 29

Chicago, Illinois; painter

Kamholtz, Matthew
2020 Dec 29

Brookline, Massachusetts; photographer

Kauper, Kurt
2020 Aug 3

Brooklyn, New York; painter

Kepka, Asia
2021 Nov 5

Arlington, Massachusetts; photographer

Kikuch, Hiroko
2020 Oct 7

North Adams, Massachusetts; painter

Killian, Brendan
2021 Sept 7

Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts; painter

Kim, Sky
2020 Nov 7

Jersey City, New Jersey; painter

Krippner, Birgit
2022 Jan 18

Wellington, New Zealand; photographer

Kurz, Tuvia
2020 Oct 6

Tel Aviv, Israel; painter, illustrator

Lapidus, Rivkah
2021 Dec 29

Sommerville, Massachusetts; art therapist, painter

Larson, Rebecca Sexton
2022 Apr 15

Tampa, Florida; photographer

Lasalle, Archy
undated

Cambridge, Massachusetts; photographer

Lazar, Honey
2020 Oct 7

Cleveland, Ohio; photographer

Levesque, Julie
2021 Oct 6

Newton, Massachusetts; sculptor

Levy, Fred
2020 Jun 30

Maynard, Massachusetts; photographer

Liddell, Erik
2021 Nov 28

Chelsea, Massachusetts; multimedia

Lilly, Anne
2020 July 29

Somerville, Massachusetts; sculptor, painter

Locke, Christopher
2022 Feb 8

Essex, New York; writer

MaCarthy, Melissa
2021 Feb 17

Lanconia, New Hampshire; gallery owner

MacDonald, Amy
2022 Jan 9

Boston, Massachusetts; stained glass artist, painter

Maciness, Roddy
2021 Aug 15

Anderson Ranch, Snowmass, Colorado; photographer

MaCloud, Marla
2021 Apr 6

New Haven, Connecticut; painter

Madden, Peter
2020 Dec 9

Maine; painter

Mager, Jason Cole
2020 Nov 6

Taiwan; painter

Marsching, Jane
2022 Jan 27

Hyde Park, Boston, Massachusetts; interdisciplinary artist

Marsh, Tory
2022 Nov 2

New Hampshire; art therapist

Matilda, Edie
2020 Oct 18

Agoura Hills, California; painter, art therapist

Maxwell, Max
2020 Nov 19

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; tatoo artist

Mcginn, Ryan
2022 Jan 21

Greenfield, Massachusetts; painter

McManus, Mary
2021 July 30
McNally, Chuck
2022 Sept 28

Middleborough, Massachusetts; painter

Meisler, Meryl
2021 May 18

Woodstock, New York; photographer

Mergel, Jen
2021 Oct 15

Quincy, Massachusetts; art curator

Mickle, Taylor
2022 Feb 14

Palm Springs, California; photographer

Mighty, Roberto
2020 July 27

Fort Point, Boston, Massachusetts; filmmaker

Miller, Bobby
2020 Oct 2

Provincetown, Massachusetts; photographer

Minkin, Marjorie
2020 Dec 7

Sudbury, Massachusetts; sculptor

Moerlein, Andy
2020 July 13

Maynard, Massachusetts; sculptor

Moriarty, Zeke
2021 May 18

Boston, Massachusetts; sculptor

Motherwell, Jeannie
2020 Aug 15

Somerville, Massachusetts; painter

Mowbray, Andrew
2020 Sept 14

Dorchester, Massachusetts; sculptor

Nadolney,Deb
2020 Oct 15

Provincetown, Massachusetts; gallery owner

Naor, Oma
2020 Oct 1

Tel Aviv, Israel; photographer

Neelon, Caleb
2002 July 17

Muralist

Norton, Dave
2020 Aug 31

Arlington, Massachusetts; tatoo artist

O’Brien, Jack
2020 Nov 11

New York City; Broadway sound engineer

Odabashian, Marsha
2020 June 15

Dedham, Massachusetts; painter

Okamura, Hideyo
2020 Sept 3

North Adams, Massachusetts; painter

Okamura, Sara
2020 Sept 3

North Adams, Massachusetts; painter

Oliveri, Nancy
2021 Sept 3

Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Papadopoulos, Myrto
2022 May 19

Athens, Greece; photographer

Paradise, Jane
2022 Jan 24

Provincetown, Massachusetts; photographer

Paradise, Lorianna
2022 May 16

Basel, Switzerland; artist

Pepe, Sheila
2021 Jan 13

Brooklyn, New York; sculptor, installation

Perello, Ibarionex
2022 Mar 14

Los Angeles, California; photographer

Perlis, Donald
2021 Aug 3

Williamsburg, Brooklyn; painter

Perry, Rachel
2020 Sept 16

Gloucester, Massachusetts; sculptor, performance artists

Petrovich, Laura
2020 Aug 18

Marblehead, Massachusetts; wood sculptor

Phelan, Vela
2020 Aug 24

Cabbage town, Georgia; artist

Pillsbury, Matthew
2021 Dec 20

Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Plaisance, Anne
2022 May 12

Hudson, Massachusetts; painter

Pogano
undated

Worcester, Massachusetts; painter

Poulin, Jari
2022 Mar 1

Ithaca, New York; photographer, printmaker

Preston, Greg
2021 Dec 3

Las Vegas, Nevada; photographer

Provenzano, John
2020 July 8

Provincetown, Massachusetts; painter

Putnoi, Deb
2022 Feb 1

Boston, Massachusetts; visual artist, educator

Quillin, Kimmy
2022 Jan 19

Brooklyn, New York; painter

Quintana, Noram
2022 Jan 25

Napa Valley, California; photographer

Radding, Reuben
2020 Dec 20

Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Radovanovic, Vojislav
2021 Jan 4

Los Angeles, California; video

Ramos, Barbara
2021 Oct 21

San Francisco, California; photographer

Rasovszky, Lea
2021 May 23

Bucharest, Romania; painter, sculptor

Refetoff, Osceoola
2021 Dec 1

Los Angeles, California; photographer

Revy, Suzanne
2021 Oct 21

Concord, Massachusetts; photographer

Reyes, Robert Puig
2021 June 2

Somerville, Massachusetts; painter

Ricketts, Liese
2022 Jan 14

Chicago, Illinois; photographer

Riola, Judy
2020 Aug 20

Arlington, Massachusetts; painter

Rivera, Daniela
2021 Sept 24

Concord, Massachusetts; painter

Robinson, Chad
2020 Aug 20

Silver Lake, California; painter

Rosenberg, Susan
2021 Aug 20

Manhattan, New York; photographer

Rosenkrantz, Karen
2022 Apr 6

Cambridge, Massachusetts; painter

Rozenman, Alexandra
2020 June 17

Great Falls, Virginia; painter

Ru, Yng
2021 Feb 26

Brookline, Massachusetts; gallery owner

Rumpler, Lenny
2021 July 26

Barrington, Rhode Island; photographer

Ryan, Bonnie
2020 Sept 11

Cambridge, Massachusetts; painter

Ryczek, Mike
2021 Aug 31

Dedham, Massachusetts; painter

Samdperil, Deb
2020 Sept 22

Brookline, Massachusetts; painter

Sanderson, John
2022 Feb 2

Manhattan, New York; photographer

Sarkin, Jon
2022 May 3

Gloucester, Massachusetts; artist savant

Schmidt, Jennifer
2022 Apr 9
1899-12-31T00:35:58

Brooklyn, New York; printmaker

Scott, Annee Spileo
2022 Apr 7

Randolph, Massachusetts; painter, installation

Sesow, Matt
2020 Oct 12

Washington, D.C.; painter

Shaffert, Kurt
2020 Aug 3

South Acworth, New Hampshire; cartoonist

Sheffield, Stephen
2020 July 28

Cohasset, Massachusetts; photographer

Shepherd, Liz
2021 Oct 18

West Newton, Massachusetts; sculptor

Siegelman, Bob
2020 July 17

Newbury, New Hampshire; printmaker

Sills, Leslie
2021 Aug 6

Brookline, Massachusetts; painter

Sink, Mark
2022 Feb 22

Denver, Colorado; photographer

Slone, Sandy
2021 Oct 28

Tribeca, Manhattan, New York; painter

Small, Sarah
2022 Mar 5

Brooklyn, New York; filmmaker, photographer, performer

Solomon, Amy
2021 July 16

Brookline, Massachusetts; painter

Soren, Tabitha
2021 Dec 15

Berkley, California; photographer

Spiro, Kledia
2020 July 25

Worcester, Massachusetts; performance artist

Sprague, Judith Anne
2022 Feb 17

Revere, Massachusetts; artist, social worker

Stein, Lynn
2022 Mar 15

Nyack, New York, drawing

Sternbach, Joni
2021 July 15

Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Stewart, Allison
2021 May 1

Los Angeles, California; photographer

Strauss, Norma Gomez
2021 Feb 26

Queens, New York; arts administrator

Sudarsky, Amy
2021 Nov 30

Allston, Massachusetts; painter

Sweibel, Liz
2021 July 22

Brooklyn, New York; sculptor

Thompson, Bill
2022 Apr 11

Tiverton, Rhode Island; sculptor

Thunder, Corn Wagon
2020 Sept 21

Albuquerque, New Mexico; photographer

Thurber, Shellbume
2021 Sept 29

Cambridge, Massachusetts; photographer

Tobin, Jacqueline
2022 Mar 31

Upper Westside Manhattan, New York; editor-in-chief, rangefinder

Toboz, Lisa
2022 Jan 17

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; photographer

Touchette, Amy
2021 Oct 1

Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Troeller, Linda
2022 Feb 28

Point Pleasant, New Jersey; phptographer

True, Kate
2022 Apr 21

Boston, Massachusetts; drawing

Valdez, Nora
2020 Sept 7

Dorchester, Massachusetts; sculptor

Valenti, Laura
2021 Aug 3

Oregon Coast; photographer

Vaughan, Jeremy
2021 Jan 4

Netherlands; photographer

Wallace, Andrea Jenkins
2021 Dec 15

Snowmass Village, Colorado; photographer

Washington, Keith Morris
2020 Nov 2

Orange, Massachusetts; painter

Weinberg, Nina Doran
2020 Dec 8

Mount Kisco, New York; photographer

Wetmore, Elle; Warmouth, Jeffu
2020 July 10

Groton, Massachusetts; vidoe, drawing

Wheeler, Deb Todd
2022 Feb 1

Newton, Massachusetts; multi media artist

White, Bob
2020 Oct 28

Boston, Massachusetts; film, video

White, Suzanne Theodora
2021 Aug 26

Appleton, Maine; photographer

Wilson, Nicole
2021 June 24

Brooklyn, New York; sculptor

Winters, Antoinette
2020 Dec 22

Somerville, Massachusetts; painter

Yamasaki, Katie
2021 Nov 1

Brooklyn, New York; painter, illustrator

Zakari, Chantal
2020 Oct 5

Watertown, Massachusetts; painter

Zlamany, Brenda
2020 Nov 20

Painter

Zusman, Karen
2022 Apr 5

Brooklyn, New York; photographer

Administrative information

Access

The collection is open for research.

Provenance

Gift of Jerry Russo, 2022.

Processing Information

Processed by Danielle Kovacs, October 2024.

Language:

English

Copyright and Use (More information )

Cite as: Jerry Russo Oral History Collection of Artists During COVID-19 (MS 1185). Robert S. Cox Special Collections and University Archives Research Center, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.

Search terms

Subjects

  • Artists
  • COVID-19 (Disease) and the arts
  • Photographers

Genres and formats

  • Oral histories (document genres)
University of Massachusetts Amherst
2020Site PoliciesAccessibility