Russ Smith graduated Fine Arts from the University of Manitoba in the 70s with every intention of living alone in an attic somewhere, slaving over giant canvases for years until discovered. But then he fell in love and decided to have a family, so he switched his avocation to computers and programming, still painting in acrylics on a part-time basis. His biggest influences are Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein and the greatest comic book artist of all time, Jack Kirby.