Muggles Market Spotlight: Russell Art & Jewelry

Welcome to the Muggles Market Spotlight for 2018! Today, we are delighted to announce the addition of new artisan Russell Art & Jewelry to our third annual Muggles Market at this year’s Geek Gala. Greg & Harriet Russell took a few minutes to answer some questions about their business and general geekery.

• What kinds of items will you be selling at this year’s Muggles Market?
  Greg will be selling superhero and monster-themed art prints, trading cards and his humor books “Cursor and the Mouse,” “Sally Social Worker” and “Sally Social Worker 2.” He will also be giving away his ’zines featuring the work of local artists and writers.

  Harriet will be selling her handmade jewelry made from a variety of materials including metal, stone and Liberian sea glass as well as her inspirational book “#AndSheRealized: Her Poetic Journey to Self Discovery.”

• How did you first get started making these things? Greg has been drawing since he was a child and has always been a fan of superheroes and monsters. His productivity has taken off since Harriet gave him an iPad Pro for Christmas. Now, it’s his favorite drawing medium.

  Harriet was inspired by her grandfather who was the first jeweler in Liberia. She has been making jewelry for years, but she has been creating more after an inspirational visit to her homeland.

• What has been one of your favorite projects to work on?
  Greg has been co-publisher and designer of Tangents magazine for the past 25 years, and he is currently publishing an underground, guerrilla comic book focusing on social justice. He loves inspiring local creative-types and showcasing their work for the public to see.

  Harriet’s favorite project was her copper daisy bracelet because that was her first time soldering.

• What else can you tell us about yourself?
  Greg has designed the Geek Gala logos for the past four years and helped paint backdrops a couple of times. He is currently illustrating a comic book written by Joey Starnes and featuring The Bermuda Kid (AKA little Matt Starnes.)

  Harriet is also known as Boom Hari, a personal trainer certified in Body Combat, Body Pump, TRX and Kickboxing and a nutritionist who runs a weekly boot camp.

• So this year’s Geek Gala theme is “Gears and Ghouls”, and focuses on steampunk and day of the dead cosplay. If you could have one body part cybernetically enhanced or replaced, what would you choose, how would you want it changed, and why?
  Harriet would like cybernetic eyes so she can see the future.
  Greg would like a cybernetic back so he can exercise with Boom Hari again.