Artist List    Laura Russo    Images  |  Bio Born 1943, Waterbury, Connecticut Died 2010, Portland, Oregon IN MEMORY Laura was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, to Lillian Russo and Lawrence Kaplan. Following high school, she moved to Portland, Oregon to live with her aunt and uncle, Sally Haley and Michele Russo. Laura studied art at Portland’s Museum Art School, now Pacific Northwest College of Art. She married John Lawrence, and raised daughter Maia and son Dylan. After divorcing, Laura returned to the Museum Art School to complete her BFA in 1975. Laura built a rewarding life in Portland wit her longtime partner Michihior Kosuge. She shared with him her commitment to art, an enjoyment of travel, and a love for their cats and their dog Brownie. Laura’s enduring passion for art and for Portland’s creative community of artists grew throughout her career, She worked as Assistant Director to Arlene Schnitzer at The Fountain Gallery of Art. After Arlene closed her gallery in 1986, Laura opened her own gallery, with the financial backing and support of several artists and members of the community. Through the duration of her life, Laura championed regional artists. Her dedication and love for the artists and customers who she came to know so well, motivated her to create an artistic environment that would sustain quality and depth of expression within the local art community. In addition to running the gallery, Laura was a founding member of the First Thursday group (now Portland Art Dealers Association), and served on multiple boards and committees, including those of the Portland Art Museum, the Pacific Northwest College of Art, the Metropolitan Arts Commission, ArtTable, and others. She juried numerous exhibitions across the region and recently received the Governor’s Arts Award and the first Laura Russo Distinguished Alumni Award from the Pacific Northwest College of Art, and the Award for Service to the Visual Arts from the Portland Art Dealers Association. Luara will be remembered for her astute eye, her loyalty to local artists, and her fierce personal integrity.