Clear Seeing Place: Studio Visits

Abstract painter Rutenberg reveals his passion, authenticity, and artistic vision in a series of thoughtful vignettes about his life and work. Expanding on his YouTube series Studio Visits, the author invites readers into his New York City studio to learn about the messy act of creation, sharing his journey of self-discovery through short essays on his creative process and the people who have influenced his work, including the painter Gregory Amendoff and art dealer John Raimondi, who supported Rutenberg early in his career. Rutenberg tracks his artistic growth from his childhood in South Carolina in the 1970s experimenting with mud and stencils, to his days as an art student living in Queens, N.Y., and later in his career as an internationally exhibited landscape painter living in Manhattan. He frequently refers to musicians who influenced him; for example, he practices Duke Ellington’s dictum­, “The wise musicians are those who play what they can master,” by painting in his studio every day. This dedicated training has freed his imagination and originality, he writes, creating what he calls a “clear seeing place” into his art and revealing “a deeper truth that relies less on visual accuracy than on personal and cultural experience.” This well-written artist’s coming-of-age-story will appeal to young artists looking to make a career of their passion. [em](BookLife) [/em]