DAVID ANSON RUSSO studied at the Parsons School of Design and the School of Visual Arts, both in New York City. Mr. Russo's areas of expertise include watercolor and acrylic painting, pen-and-ink drawing, and sculpting. His creative concept is to use anything and everything the world has to offer, so as not to be defined by any particular style. He is constantly striving to invent unique artistic creations.

David's criteria is, "If it doesn't blow you away when you see the work, I have not done my job." This strong spirit of self-expectation is the driving force behind his very prolific life style. It is not uncommon to see him working 12 to 16 hours a day to complete a work of art to his satisfaction.

At present, his business revolves around creating products to license, most notably with interactive art. His interactive concept is meant to bring viewers into the art and encourages them to participate.

Mr. Russo's art is being adapted to a wide range of products. His products to date include: 11 books with Simon & Schuster, puzzles with Western Publishing, Gallery ELL Japan, F.X. Schmid USA, Mega Press, and others; as well as posters with O.S.P., Image Conscious, Scandecor, Western Graphics, and more. Art for other media includes calendars with Landmark General; carpeting with Couristan, coloring packs and posters, art posters and limited editions, silk ties, T-shirts, activity packs, and more. Over 50 products incorporating Mr. Russo's art will be selling in 1996. His art will be syndicated this year with seven inserts weekly in newspapers and magazines worldwide. Mazemaster, Mazemaster Max, and Mazemaster Junior (a full color Sunday insert) are also being developed for CD-ROM, CDI, 3DO, and WWW products using his interactive art.

Mr. Russo's work has appeared in hundreds of publications. Here are a few highlights: creation of an eight-page foldout for the prestigious Absolut Vodka artists campaign; regular contributions to Mad Magazine; a brain-boggler page included in four issues of Discover Magazine during 1994-95; and designs for American Showcase, Saachi and Saachi, Kellogg's Raisin Bran, HBO, Jose Cuervo, Verilink, and others. Numerous art-oriented publications in the United States and abroad have featured articles on his work, including Print Magazine (twice), Art Direction, Upper & Lower Case, Idea (Japan), and Studio (Israel)

When Mr. Russo is not creating artwork, he travels on book tours, art-school lectures, and to museum exhibits featuring his work. These include: The Chicago Museum of Science and Industry, The Queens Science Museum, The Children's Museum of New York, The Brain Exhibit at Philidelphia's Franklin Institute and Mazemania at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. He also creates large walk-through hedge mazes called Living Sculptures.

Mr. Russo is also an athletic cross trainer in long-distance running, moutain biking, weight lifting, and the martial arts. He has been training in the martial arts since 1977. Russo Sensei holds a third-degree black belt in Jujitsu, and has studied Tae Kwon Do, Hopkido, Aikido, Go Ju Ryu, Chigong, wrestling, grappling, and Judo. He is also proficient with the Houbo (short staff) and the cane. Along with the Jujitsu curriculum, Russo also teaches police tactics, including handcuffing techniques, non-violent restraint, and takedowns. His dojo, Goshin Tsugiashi Do Jujitsu Intoku, is located on Maui. Russo Sensei has been teaching women how to stay safe from harm since 1990. He instructs them in techniques for rape prevention, for various physical defenses against an attack, to know your environment through awareness, not fear, and to use easy-to-learn Judo and Jujitsu techniques.

In 1992, Mr. Russo and his partner, Mr. Eric Sigmund, created Natural Movement Self-Defense, a five-day, 15-hour seminar for women and girls that is the most up-to-date on this topic. Over 350 women in the last 18 months have graduated from this course. Mr. Russo and Mr. Sigmund have traveled to teach this course to therapists and women's groups all over the United States. Their goal is to provide women and their loved ones with effective methods to protect themselves from assault and violence.

Mr. Russo is married to Elizabeth Leitz. They make their home on the island of Maui, with their children: Taylor, Nicholas, Anthony, and Logan.