The artist formerly from the Chicago area is currently traveling across The United States in search of exotic snakes that he can incorporate into his artwork.

Chicago, IL (PRUnderground) August 31st, 2026

Midwest visual artist Russell Frantom, known for his striking and vibrant portraits as well as his eccentric approach to art-making, has postponed a long-planned trip to Africa in favor of exploring reptiles closer to home. Frantom will begin his "art snake travels" in early September in the Florida Everglades before continuing across the United States through November.

Earlier this year it was reported that Frantom planned to return to Africa in search of venomous snakes for his art projects. After a demanding summer spent relocating to a new home in another state, the artist decided to delay that journey.

"I spent the summer moving into another house in another state, and that burned me out and I knew I'd need to postpone my Africa dream snake trip until at least December," Frantom said. "So, in the meantime I am going down to the Everglades and then I am traveling all across the United States after that for the same reasons. We have lots of beautiful reptiles here already. I can travel to Africa again later on."

Frantom has maintained a lifelong passion for reptiles and amphibians. "I have been observing and handling venomous snakes and reptiles of all kinds since I was a young teen," he explained. "The venomous varieties are my biggest fascination, and I always used to have them around as pets but now I prefer locating them and observing them in the wild."

The artist plans to translate these encounters into personal paintings that capture both the animals and the memories attached to finding them. "I want to create my own personal and special paintings of the animals that I find and attach my own memories to them," Frantom said. "A lot of artists have become all about the internet and reliant on it, and I want to actually go out and find things instead of just looking at photos. It is an artist's job to capture their world--their real world."

Followers can track Frantom's upcoming adventures and new artwork across his various social media accounts. In the near future, the artist has stated his intention to donate proceeds from this new body of work to a wildlife organization or charity.