Peyton Scott Russell: Vision Award Recipient 2025

Peyton holds a B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has worked as a professional artist and arts educator for over 40 years. His passion for graffiti began in 1984 after watching Style Wars, the documentary that introduced him to the art form. Since then, Peyton has dedicated his career to advancing graffiti as a legitimate and teachable fine art. He is the founder of SPRAYFiNGER®, an organization focused on educating communities, developing youth programming, and promoting a deeper understanding of graffiti culture and its artistic value. 

Peyton works primarily out of the Casket Arts Factory building – home of NE Sculpture | Gallery Factory. During the time of George Floyd’s murder and protests, Peyton harnessed the pain and fury of the moment, making a portrait of George Floyd. Featured on PBS News, “One of the most recognizable images of Floyd sits just above the spot where he drew his last breath – at the corner of 38th Street and Chicago Avenue in South Minneapolis. It’s a haunting, 12-foot mural of Floyd, painted in black and white by Minneapolis-based artist Peyton Scott Russell.” His image of Russell’s work has been a mainstay in newspapers and magazines throughout the world. The piece became a ‘ubiquitous icon’.