HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. -- For several decades, Chuck Russo made unique sculptures of presidents and celebrities, and some major museums even took notice.
- Chuck Russo was a character artist and sculptor
- Artist was inspired by presidents and public figures
- Family, son want Russo's working to find homes for art
"He was a character artist. He'd capture a feature of the subject and run with it," Troy Russo said.
Starting in the 1960s, Troy's father, Chuck Russo, made hundreds of figures -- some made of metal, some foam, but most with Styrofoam.
The family's hardware store in Brooksville is currently home to the unique works, all signed with Chuck's pseudonym "El Rosso."
"My Mom was his biggest critic," Troy Russo said. "She'd tell him straight up, 'It doesn't look like him.' "
There are a lot of familiar faces: former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, Billy Graham, Robin Williams and John Wayne, to name a few.
Troy Russo said his dad wanted his work to be seen and would send photos to the people he depicted, many sending signed photos or letters in return.
Chuck Russo died in 2015, and now, Troy and his family are working to find new homes for the dad's work.
"It's a caricature of Donald Trump. That one we've talked to the White House about. We're still seeing where it's going to move, because it's a sitting president," Troy said.
They've already sent a caricature of former President Gerald Ford to his presidential museum. A statue of former President Richard Nixon will soon be on its way to his museum in California.
"It was his favorite president, because he made three of them," Troy said.
"It's kind of a Father's Day present I didn't get to give him," he added.
Most of the artwork in the hardware store is also for sale. The family is asking anyone interested in one of the pieces to contact them at 4dadsart@gmail.com.