Russ Cannizzaro

Russ Cannizzaro is a professional artist and longtime visual arts educator whose career has combined a passion for painting, design, and arts education for more than three decades. He earned an Associate of Arts degree from Mesa Community College, a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Ottawa University—graduating with distinction—and a Master of Education from Arizona State University, and has taught subjects ranging from drawing and painting to AP and International Baccalaureate Art, art history, photography, computer graphics, and animation. A professional artist since the 1990s, Cannizzaro has exhibited through galleries in Scottsdale and Sedona and has also created significant commissioned works for private collectors and organizations, including a 20th-anniversary painting for the Legacy Foundation. His work is distinguished by richly detailed, realistic imagery inspired by travel, landscapes, architecture, and the places and visual landmarks that connect people to meaningful memories. His current American Signs Collection celebrates iconic neon and commercial signs as enduring pieces of American culture, preserving the signs associated with road trips, neighborhoods, celebrations, and the shared history of communities. Throughout his career, Cannizzaro has also used his artwork to support charitable organizations, helping raise funds for nonprofits including St. Vincent de Paul, St. Mary’s Food Bank, the Children’s Cancer Network, the American Cancer Society, and others. His work reflects a lifelong belief that art can preserve a sense of place, tell meaningful stories, and create an emotional connection between people and the communities and experiences that shape their lives.

View Available Works

• Arizona State University, Master of Education - Magna Cum Laude - Tempe, Arizona,1998 
• Ottawa University, Bachelor of Arts - Graduated with Distinction - Phoenix, Arizona,1996 
• Mesa Community College, Associated Arts Degree - Mesa, Arizona,1994