Mark Golder on Stephen Russ: 29 May 2025
Stephen Russ lived at Shaw Hill near Melksham and taught fabric design and then printmaking for thirty years at Bath Academy of Art (Corsham). But he’s better known in the world of illustration as the designer of dust jackets for over eighty books between 1945 and 1975. And as the designer of covers for the Penguin Poetry series in the 1950s and 1960s.
He also produced a generic cover for Penguin’s D. H. Lawrence novels. His design of a phoenix rising from the flames on the front cover of ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ came from the pen of Stephen Russ, when Penguin was taken to court for obscenity.
This illustrated talk will concentrate on the dust jackets and cover illustrations. It will consider how they reveal the artist and the major concerns of the times in which he lived.
Stephen Russ illustrator
More about Stephen Russ – 1919–1983
After an education in Bath and attending the Royal College of Art, Stephen became a lecturer at Bath Academy of Art. There he was in charge of printed textiles.
He also worked as an illustrator for Collins, Bodley Head and Penguin. He did the patterned covers for the series of Penguin Poets dating from the early 1960s.
Mark Golder
Among many things, the speaker of this talk, Mark Golder, has been a major donor to Museum and Art Swindon. In 2015, Mark Golder and Brian Thompson gifted more than 50 ceramics to Swindon Museum and Art Gallery in memory of their friend, Ron Sloman. There are a number of blogs about Mark on Linda Kasmaty’s blog and you’ll find them here.
Swindon also gained about 150 pieces in tribute to Meryl Ainslie form Mark Golder and Brian Thompson. https://rableygallery.com/news/the-golder-thompson-gift-feature/
He’s also donated to the Pallant House Gallery and Chippenham museum – amongst others.
About the Friends
The Friends of Museum and Art Swindon (FMAS) is a voluntary organisation. It promotes and publicises Swindon Museum and Art Gallery and its activities to as wide a public as possible. It raises funds to buy new items for the museum and encourages sponsorship for the improvement of the collections and facilities.
When and where
Our talks take place in the council chamber in Swindon’s civic offices on Euclid Street. Doors open at 7pm.
£8 for members and £10 for non-members.
Date/Time
Date(s) - 29/05/2025
7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
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