Painter and teacher Shirley Russell was born in Clifton, California, May 16, 1886. After studying at the School of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, the California School of Fine Arts, and San Jose State University she visited Hawaii with her son in 1921 and decided to stay. In Hawaii she studied with Lionel Walden and was able, during the 1930's, to study in Paris at La Grande Chaumiere, and the Academic Julian with Andre Lhote. She also travelled in Europe, Japan, Korea and Manchuria, and had additional studies with Rico Lebrun and Hans Hofmann. She influenced a generation of students -- including Satoro Abe and John Chin Young -- as an art teacher at McKinley High School in Honolulu (1923-46). Although Russell was best known for her figurative works including tropical flowers, seascapes and portraits she was an avid supporter of abstract art. An active painter until the very end of her life, Shirley Russell died in Honolulu in 1985 at the age of 98. Her work can be found in the collections of The Contemporary Museum, Honolulu, the Hawaii State Art Museum, The Imperial Museum, Tokyo and the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

This image is entitled "Bird of Paradise" and the size is oban (about 9x13 inches).  It is signed and titled in pencil and was published by Watanabe circa 1935.