ABOUT GAIL RUSSELL
Gail Russell lives in Taos, New Mexico where she sells
photographic work, Kangaroo Girls®’ pocket scarves & SallyGators® leg warmers.
Gail Russell | Photo Artist & Designer of Wearable Art
A Taos original, Gail Russell has been named a Taos Living Master for photography and honored as one of the Remarkable Women of Taos. Trained as a painter and printmaker at the Albright Knox School of Fine Art, Pratt Institute, and the School of Visual Arts, she received her first camera in 1968 and has never put it down.
In the early 1970s, Gail was invited by Traditional Elders of the Hopi Tribe to document the impact of Peabody Coal on their land—an extraordinary honor granted to very few photographers. This experience shaped a lifelong commitment to Native American communities. Her work has been deeply informed by decades-long relationships with Native elders and their families.
After moving to Taos in 1978, Gail has exhibited her work widely and continuously. Her artistic foundation was informed, deepened and sustained over decades by the relationships that she has maintained with Native elders and their extended families. In 1987, alongside Lakota Grandmother Nellie Red Owl, she co-founded the Adopt-a-Grandparent Program, supporting more than 1,400 elders and families annually on the Pine Ridge Reservation for many years.
Gail is also known for her wearable art, including SallyGators® leg warmers, Kangaroo Pocket Scarves, and Gazelle Shawls, featuring her photographic images on silk, cashmere, and other luxury fabrics. “I’ve always wanted to be able to wear my photographs… with Gazelle Shawls and scarves, this is now possible!”
Her Taos studio/gallery showcases her photography, wearable art, and her award-winning book Spirit in Form: The Human Form in Nature and Other Places (Eric Hoffer Book Award, 2022).
Gail Russell’s work reflects Images of Light, Life, and the Spirit of the Southwest.
📞 575-770-1507 to visit the studio and meet the artist.
A Unique Line of Photographic & Wearable Art
Rooted in the spirit of Taos, New Mexico, Gail Russell Art & Apparel reflects a deep connection to place, people, and purpose. The collection features Gail Russell’s award-winning photography, fine photo note cards, and an inspired line of wearable art. In Gazelle Shawls, her photographs are transformed into luxurious textiles, also available are Kangaroo Scarves with pockets, and SallyGators leg warmers.
What sets Gail Russell Art & Apparel apart is not only the beauty of the art and apparel, but the values that guide the company. Every aspect of the business centers on connection, community, and uncompromising quality.
Russell has assembled an exceptional team to bring her vision to life, including one of the top sewing contractors in the United States, Authentic Concepts—known for working with brands such as The North Face and Wrangler. She uses carefully selected, high-quality materials and dedicates a portion of her profits to nonprofits that support Native elders, children, and the local community.
Engaging with Gail Russell Art & Apparel is about more than acquiring a distinctive piece of art. It’s not really about the sale—it’s about connection. It’s about the things money can’t buy, and that is what gives the work its true value.
A PORTION OF OUR EARNINGS GO TO TWO NON PROFITS ~
BENEFITING NATIVE AMERICAN LIFE AND CULTURE
AND TAOS COMMUNITY AGRICULTURE PROGRAM A.I.R.E
Adopt A Native Elder Program got its start in the 1980s during the turbulent years of the Hopi-Navajo land dispute, which ultimately resulted in 10,000 Navajos being relocated from their traditional homelands. During those times there were many Elders who faced severe hardships and deprivations. When Linda Myers became aware of this desperate situation it was food more than anything else that these people needed for their survival. Gail donates to their efforts and you can too HERE.
A.I.R.E. is a non-profit organization, based in Taos, New Mexico, formed to help reconnect people with the land, their food, and ecology. We are known in the region for connecting young people with agricultural experience through garden projects in the schools. We conserve local food traditions by hosting workshops around food processing, cooking, and seed saving. We can often connect and host groups with agriculture experience in the area. Gail donates to their efforts and you can too HERE.
Our style is very much a part of our locale: Taos, New Mexico. We focus on selling Gail Russell’s photographs, photo note cards, Gazelle Shawls, Kangaroo Pocket Scarves, and SallyGators Leg Warmers. The thing that is extraordinary about Gail Russell Art & Apparel is the entire dynamic and value system of her company. Every aspect of her company focuses on connection, community and quality products.
OUR PRODUCTS
Gazelle Shawls
I’ve always wanted to wear the beauty of a Gail Russell photograph. But how, exactly, does one wear a picture? I didn’t want to place my prints on a garment that was small, like a hat, or irregular in shape, like a shirt or pants, and so on. Shawls on the other hand? They were like a large canvas, perfect.
Kangaroo Pocket Scarves
My Southwestern style pocket scarves is where the Down Under meets the Southwest. Down Under because of the name, Kangaroo scarves. And Southwest because of their Yellowstone-inspired design, with a touch of the classic Pendleton blanket for extra comfort, style and warmth.
SallyGators® Leggins’
If you go to any Native American pow wow, almost all of the women there will be wearing “leggins,” as they’re called traditionally, with their dresses. Like all gaiters, they’re more than a fashion accessory. They were designed for leg protection from Mother Nature, offering the perfect balance of style and substance.
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