A Conversation with Zack Russell

Tell us about your art and design background.
A little over a decade ago, I was uncertain about what kind of career path I wanted to take until I got the idea to look into becoming a graphic designer. It seemed like a good fit for me; combining art and technology to create was right up my alley. I graduated from LCC’s graphic design program in 2016 and had some work as a designer for a couple years. While working in the field, I became immersed in drawing and painting, so I decided I would go back to school to continue building my skills. I’m currently a student at U of O in the BFA program and set to graduate in a year! Outside of school, I produce and sell art through my brand Cavity Crew. I created Cavity Crew to unify my artistic endeavors, sell my own products and merchandise, and build a community through art that conveys positivity, inclusivity, and being sweet.

We always appreciate working with Oregon-based artists. How long have you lived in the area?
Oregon born and raised! I was born in Springfield but moved to Southern Oregon early on and grew up there. My partner and I met in Medford, but she’s also originally from this area so we moved back here in 2012 and have felt right at home ever since.

There is a long history of art being used to communicate about social causes. What is the value of these forms of expression?
Art can help make social movements more approachable and understandable to a wide audience who might shy away from more academic or theoretical ways of learning about social issues. A strong design can lend visuals for a community to gather around as well, which has always been important in social movements. Examples of designs being at the forefront of social movements are the Pink Triangle during the AIDS crisis or the Raised Fist recently associated with BLM. Visual art is by no means the most important aspect of a social movement, but the power of an effective design is undeniable.

It has also become common for consumer products to center around social causes. What is the value that comes from these types of brand activations?
There is definitely value in brands bringing awareness to social movements. That being said, awareness can only go so far and is not a substitute for taking action. Offering a product that symbolizes or is associated with a social movement of any sort should be the bare minimum a brand should do. Directly contributing and donating to the communities these social causes are associated with should be the base-level action a brand should take. Otherwise, they’re simply profiting off of a social movement and making it “trendy”.

Where else can we see your work (online or in-person)?
cavitycrew.com and @cavitycrew on most social media platforms.

Check out some of Zack's designs as well as other Pride collection styles here