Marcus Uzilevsky (1937 - 2015) was born in New York City to Russian and Polish immigrants. Encouraged at a young age to follow his natural inclination for art, Uzilevsky was formally trained in illustration. Upon completing his studies, Uzilevsky worked in the commercial art industry for an automobile accessory store. Though he was creating original works, Uzilevsky did not find commercial art to be the best outlet for his creativity. In order to fulfill this need, Uzilevsky taught himself guitar and eventually performed with Bob Dylan and the New Christy Minstrels under the pseudonym Rusty Evans. Through his musical expression, Uzilevsky rediscovered his passion for the visual arts.

Uzilevsky moved to California in 1967 and began to attach his real name to both his visual works and composed music. In the 1970s, he began a series of landscapes inspired by the Marin hills. Famous for his intricate linework, Uzilevsky’s pieces display an unmistakable optimism: “I want the art and music I make to enhance each other so the total environment will have an uplifting effect”.